It's been a good decade since Volcano has erupted on us with a new full-length. If you've never heard the band before, then you were missing out on another of Japan's untold secrets, a hybrid of power, speed and thrash metal which musters comparison to countrymen Anthem and Loudness, only with a far ballsier tone and huge, pissed off vocals that feature a strain of forced melody not unlike Flemming Rönsdorf (ex-Artillery). Mythology is cast in much the same mold, and though I didn't enjoy this quite so much as its predecessors, there's still a strong case to be made for the band.

BLUT AUS NORD will release their new album, "777 - Sect(s)" , on April 19 via Debemur Morti Productions. BLUT AUS NORD's black metal approach is a fist in the face of mainstream mediocrity, becoming more macabre and sinister through a blend of innovative musical research, subliminal mental manipulation, and an incredible haunted, nightmarish feeling based on disharmony. BLUT AUS NORD are creators of a hallucinogenic universe, erasing all preconceived ideas of black metal — and extreme music in general. They redefine the rules.

Danish extreme metallers ILLDISPOSED will release their new album, "There Is Light (But It's Not For Me)", on April 1 via Massacre Records. The band recorded the CD at Antfarm Studio in Århus, Denmark with producer Tue Madsen (MOONSPELL, DARK TRANQUILLITY, GOREFEST, SICK OF IT ALL).The "There Is Light (But It's Not For Me)" artwork was created by Lasse Hoile

German true metal squad WIZARD will release its ninth studio album, "…Of Wariwulfs And Bluotvarwes". The concept effort, based on the story written by the famous German fantasy writer André Wiesler, was recorded by Volker Leson at the Magic Hall Studio in Bocholt, and was mixed and mastered by Achim Köhler (PRIMAL FEAR, SINNER). The cover artwork for the album was designed by Steve Argyle and can be viewed below.