RELEASES		NEWS
WITHERING SOUL No Closure March 8th, 2011 Mortal Music Amazon.com (Audio CD) Amazon.com (Mp3 Download) SEVERED HEAVEN Incessant Darkness 2010 Unsigned BigCartel.com (Audio CD) URN Scribings Of A Forgotten Soul July 28th, 2009 Rotting Corpse Records Amazon.com (Audio CD) SEVERED HEAVEN EP 2007 Unsigned BigCartel.com (Audio CD) URN Dancing With The Demigods July 11, 2006 Rotting Corpse Amazon.com (Audio CD)		WITHERING SOUL - NO CLOSURE REVIEWED BY LORDSOFMETAL.NL April 2, 2011 Roel de Haan: Hailing from Chicago, Withering Soul comes up with their first album ‘No Closure’. Fundamentally, this is a symphonic black/death metal record with some gothic elements thrown in for good measure. But there is a twist: they are rather extreme for the style. Especially the drumming seems way too extreme for this type of music. However it’s not much of nuisance and you soon get used to it. The screams remind me of Ihsahn during ‘In The Nightside Eclipse’. In fact, the music generally seems like an Americanised, extreme rendition of that album. Although I may be over-simplifying things here, the sound is very modern indeed. Intensity and diversity are keywords here as there are plenty of both on the album. Maybe there should have been more breathing space on the record. Nevertheless, ‘No Closure’ is a good album full of energy and sometimes that’s all you need to enjoy an album. Rating: 72/100 (details)
		URN® STREAMS NEW SONG ONLINE FROM UPCOMING ALBUM "A HARD WINTER'S JOURNEY" March 21, 2011 Chicago, Illinois-based gothic/folk metal band URN has announced that they have posted a new demo track from their upcoming album, A Hard Winter’s Journey, for streaming online. 'Cast In Amber' will be available for listening on the band’s ReverbNation page as well as their other social media sites such as Facebook, MySpace, Number One Music and Twitter. The 'Cast In Amber' song, along with three other songs were recently recorded by Dan Precision at Bombshelter Recording Studios in Chicago. The band is eagerly planning to finish up the album with the new lineup and then hope to be shopping labels for their fourth studio release very soon. On another note, URN confirmed one of their first dates of 2011 preceded only by their show with TROUBLE, EARTHEN GRAVE and ADD earlier this year. On April 28th, URN will once again take the stage in support of New York industrial metal band HANZEL UND GRETYL at Mojoe’s in Joliet, IL. URN is currently working on their 4th studio album, A Hard Winter’s Journey, and will be shopping labels very soon for it's release.
		URN ANNOUNCES THE RETURN OF DRUMMER JEREMIAH LINK March 25, 2011 URN, the Chicago-based gothic/metal band, officially announced today that former drummer, Jeremiah Link, has officially returned to the band after a several month absence. In the interim, URN had been working with Nick Kapka, a long-time drumming veteran as a temporary replacement for the fall tour dates and expressed major interest in joining the band on a full-time basis. However, after careful consideration, Mr. Kapka concluded that with his schedule and other commitments that it would not work out for both parties in the long term. Mr. Kapka, fulfilling is obligations to the group did record with them as they have just completed recording demos for their upcoming fourth album, A Hard Winter’s Journey, recording again with Dan Precision (RISE AGAINST, NAKED RAYGUN) at Bombshelter Studios in Chicago this past week. Mr. Link whom had parted ways with URN on very amicable terms at the end of July last year had stayed in constant contact URN’s founder/lead singer/guitarist, Dominic St. Charles, and occasionally the two spoke of his possible return to the band if the situation was right. Mr. Link now resumes his role as the band’s full-time drummer and the band is currently finalizing tour dates for summer and fall of 2011. St. Charles commented: “We are extremely lucky to have two such amazing talents to work with us in this time of transition over the last couple of months. All of us in URN are very grateful to have had the opportunity to work with Nick as he became a part of our family of which he will still remain a very dear part of in the times ahead. We also look upon this time with great joy and excitement to have Jeremiah come back to us and in some ways it feels like he never really left. We work very well with him and have many great experiences with him over recent tours and are chomping at the bit to get started again for the many live shows we have planned and get ready for what we feel with be a great new era in our band and in our lives.”
		SEVERED HEAVEN ANNOUNCE NEW DRUMMER March 23, 2011 All female UK death metal band SEVERED HEAVEN are back with a vengeance and packing an almighty punch, high-kicking their way into 2011 and beyond with their latest album, Incessant Darkness, and upcoming UK tour with the addition of new drummer Hayley Morgan to the mix. With the new line-up now complete, the band is refreshed and ready to continue their soul-destroying decay of the UK, holding the reigns for brutal female-led metal and continuing to carry Severed Heaven to total extremities. The girls have gone from strength-to-strength through their four year journey, with shows across the UK and terrorizing audiences alongside acts such as GORGOROTH, GALLHAMMER, SWORN ENEMY and SHINING, to name a few. Says the band, "We are really excited to have Hayley on board and can't wait to unleash an even more brutal sound at our upcoming live dates, more of which are to be added shortly, including some extra special ones! We would like to say a massive thank you to everyone for the support and congratulations to Anna Stewart, who is expecting her first baby in July."
		WITHERING SOUL SIGN WITH MORTAL MUSIC, REVEAL NEW ALBUM DETAILS January 24, 2011 "Chicago's extreme metal artists, WITHERING SOUL are proud to announce their signing with Mortal Music. With this signing, the band is set to release their label debut, No Closure, on March 8th with distribution via MVD Entertainment Group. No Closure was recorded and mixed by Chris Wisco (NOVEMBERS DOOM, MICHAEL ANGELO BATIO, LAZARUS A.D.) at Belle City Sound in Racine, WI and mastered at The Cutting Room (Sweden). As an attempt to characterize, the music may be described as a combination of symphonic black metal and melodic death metal...with some gothic overtones thrown in as well. Featuring carefully crafted songs full of interesting changes and climactic phrasings, the band delivers a mature sound that is not normally achieved on a first release. Also, as an underlying blueprint, the band draws on influences from some of the finest in Scandinavian black metal before venturing off and establishing their own style. Throughout the album, you will find sinister yet majestic clean vocal melodies, catchy rhythms, and a haunting vibe that would make for an amazing soundtrack to a classic horror novel. As a special treat, guest backing vocals have been provided by Melissa Ferlaak (ECHOTERRA / ex-VISIONS OF ATLANTIS) on the songs 'Lifeless They Lie' and 'Unquiet'. The group spent the past couple of years building up its momentum, while playing countless shows, and sharing the stage with the likes of ENSLAVED, DARK FUNERAL, FINNTROLL, SATYRICON, ABSU and HANZEL UND GRETYL. Eager listeners can get a preview of the album on the band’s MySpace with the full length album single, 'Tides Of The Accursed'. The album is set for release on March 8th but is currently available for pre-sale at several websites including Amazon.com." The tracklist is as follows: 'Night Of The Revenant' 'Phantasmal Chaos Divinity' 'The Sequitor' 'Tides Of The Accursed' 'Possession Of Deception - Part II' 'Sadistic Redress' 'Manifest Transparency' 'Lifeless They Lie' 'Unquiet' 'Requiem Of Sorrow'
		URN INTRODUCE NEW MEMBERS, CONFRIRMED TO PERFORM AT CHICAGO HOLIDAY HELLRAISER December 16, 2010 URN, the Chicago-based gothic/metal band officially announced today their new additions to the line-up for 2011 and for their upcoming album tentatively entitled A Hard Winter Journey. Nick Kapka, a long-time drumming veteran has worked with classic metal bands such as THE PLAGUE started working with Urn in September as a temporary replacement drummer on some of the fall tour dates and now joins the band on a full-time basis. Tracy DeMarco also officially joined Urn as their new keyboardist/female vocalist and will be lending her skills as composer and Celtic/classical harp player for the band’s upcoming album. Since coming to Chicago, Tracy has performed as a harp soloist and joined forces with many other talented area Chicago musicians, including jazz and rock performers. Founder of the electro-acoustic, ambient recording project, THE GLASS HOUR, Tracy continues to create unique, atmospheric soundscapes. Jenna Scifres, also joins the band’s ranks as the acoustic and electric violinist bringing a great deal of experience having worked with many rock bands as well as traditional Celtic groups such as the FOUR LEAF ROVERS. Urn’s founder/lead singer/guitarist Dominic St. Charles commented: “We feel highly blessed and honored to have these excellent and talented individuals become part of our tribe and accompany us our life-long journey in music. Their influence has already made a huge impact on us and we have never been more excited about the future.” Urn plans to debut Ms. DeMarco and Ms. Scifres as well as select songs from the upcoming A Hard Winter’s Journey album as part of their performance in the Chicago Holiday Hellraiser at the Double Door on Tuesday, December 21st.

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