PALACE OF WORMS / THOABATH split 7" - OUT NOW!

After months (and months) of delays, I'm proud to announce that the Palace Of Worms / Thoabath split 7" is out now!  

Palace Of Worms is a solo Bay Area-based black metal act with previous releases on The Flenser, and Thoabath is a Bay Area blackened noise project featuring Andy Way (Sutekh Hexen).  Each offer up one scathing track on this release.




PRESSING INFO
116 on purple vinyl
128 on black vinyl

Order your copy HERE

Hot Summer Nights - KOTM FEST with Chokehold, Crudos, Groundwork, Infest, Trap Them, Culture, & tons more!

Just in case you've been living under a rock these past few weeks and haven't heard...TICKETS ARE ON SALE NOW!

DATES
Friday July 31st & August 1st.

VENUE
The Nile (Mesa, AZ)

 FRIDAY LINE UP
Crudos
Infest
Culture
Done Dying (ex-No For An Answer, Outspoken, 411,etc)
ACxDC
Generacion Suicida
Modern problems (ex Halfmast, Dead Hearts)
Cold Sore
Iron Oath
The Light
OSS
City Hunter
Territory
Ausencia
Humiliation

SATURDAY LINE UP
Chokehold
Groundwork
Trap Them
Creation is Crucifixion
Voice of Reason
Suffering Luna
Bleach Everything (members of Suppression, Jesuit, etc)
Chest Pain
To The Point
Seizures
Civilized
Crime Desire
Unrestrained
Elders
Culture Shock (CO)
Gatecreeper
Lakra
Cloak
Bloodroot

PLUS a special screening of Destroy Cleveland (a documentary about the Cleveland HC scene from 1987 til the early 2000s) after Friday nights show!!!

Tickets are on sale NOW! Very few of the two day passes are left so if you wanted one of those don't wait too much longer.

FRIDAY ONLY TICKETS
http://www.ticketfly.com/event/844007

SATURDAY ONLY TICKETS
http://www.ticketfly.com/event/844009

TW0-DAY PASSES
http://www.ticketfly.com/event/844013

KOTM FEST the initial post

So, I never thought I would have been doing a label for so long but 2015 marks the 20th anniversary of King Of The Monsters and like we have stated previously, we wanted to celebrate and do something special.   The fest will be two days (July 31 and August 1) and will take place at The Nile in Mesa, Arizona.
Here is the initial line up for the fest.  We will be making one more announcement in the coming weeks.
What do you think so far?

You can sign up for email notifications/updates at the fest website here:  kotmfest.com

New Year and Celebrating 20 Years Of Bullshit

After the crazy release schedule of 2013, I had it in my head that I was going to take it easy in 2014.  You know work on a few projects, not too many, and enjoy some "me" time.  Well, I quickly learned that I can't take it easy and am only happy when I am working on the label so I ended up having a pretty hectic year chalked full of amazing releases by the likes of Gog, Blood Bright Star, Gatecreeper, Lusitania, Suffering Luna with The Astronaut King, Suffer The Storm, and Son Of Man.  Can't complain about that!

2015 is looking to be another stellar year for KOTM as we march forward and plan to release the following:

* HEXIS / THIS GIFT IS A CURSE split 7"
* UNRUH "Tomb" discography 3xLP (collects the full lengths, the singles, splits, demos, and more)
* ENEWETAK "Onward To Valhalla" LP (first time on vinyl)
* GROUNDWORK "Today We Will No Longer Be Invisible Nor Silent LP (remixed/remastered reissue)
* PALACE OF WORMS / THOABATH split 7"
* SERVILE SECT 7"
* UZALA new LP
* UZALA reissue of first ("s/t") album

Plus I am sure other projects will come up.

Not only am I really excited to have the opportunity to release so many amazing records in the coming year, but 2015 also marks the 20 year anniversary of King Of The Monsters.  When the label started back in 1995 I just wanted to release records by friends bands that I liked and thought more people should hear/be exposed to.  That philosophy still holds true today and I want to take this moment to say "thank you" to all the KOTM bands past and present, all the friends I have made because of the label, all the people who have ordered records from me and supported me for all these years...without all of you this wouldn't be nearly as fun and enjoyable.

We also have a few things planned to help celebrate the 20 year milestone including a one-time reunion of UNRUH that will be taking place Saturday February 21st in Arizona.  If all goes as planned this will also serve as the release show for the "Tomb" discography.  HERE is a link to the event on Facebook with more info.  If you can, you should come out to AZ and rage!

That's just the tip of the iceberg.  We've got another event planned in mid-April.  More info on that in the coming weeks. And possibly even a another event that will take place later in the year.  Stay tuned.   

Again, thank you all for the support throughout the years!  I really couldn't have done it without you all.  

Numbered Days - UNRUH reunion and discography

And we thought it would never happen but it is.  With the upcoming discography set to come out early next year, UNRUH will be doing a one-time reunion show to celebrate its release.  Do not miss your chance to see them live if you can.  Their live shows were some of the most chaotic and brutal we have ever witnessed.  As for the discography, we will have more details soon but it will be a triple LP box set and will called "Tomb".  Prepare yourselves.

Lunar Madness - BLOOD BRIGHT STAR / LUSITANIA / GATECREEPER

The BLOOD BRIGHT STAR album, "The Silver Head", is coming very soon! Most of the pieces are in hand and we will be taking preorders starting August 1st (to start shipping August 12th). We will update you some more shortly on this much anticipated release.

We also just sent off to press the LUSITANIA album. A filthy BM assault on your ears. We are hoping to have this out in early September. 

And finally, we are pleased to announce that we will be pressing the GATECREEPER's demo on vinyl! This has also been sent off to press and expected to be completed in early September.

PS Order placed July 25-31 will not be shipped until August 1 as I will be doing some traveling. Your patience is appreciated.

GOG s/t and SUFFERING LUNA with THE ASTRONAUT KING / SUFFER THE STORM split

2013 was a busy year for KOTM.  We released records for UZALA, SUTEKH HEXEN, AGARTTHA, and SEVILE SECT to name a few.  So it is understandable that we have been a bit slow to get 2014 rolling but the train is finally on the tracks we are moving forward full steam.  Along with the SON OF MAN seven inch we just released a few weeks ago, we are pleased to announce two new releases out soon - GOG s/t LP and SUFFERING LUNA with THE ASTRONAUT KING / SUFFER THE STORM split LP!!!  Both will begin shipping June 30th. 

GOG - s/t LP
Previous efforts have been described as "abstract avant blackness" and "blown out black-bliss", but what GOG conveys here is far more tense and aggressive than anything we have heard prior.  On "s/t", GOG (Mike Bjella of Unruh and Wellington) explores the transformation and evolution of oneself, conveying the twisting and painfully primal cycles of it.  
Features guest vocals by Francesca Marongiu (Agarttha), and drums by Josh Bodnar.
Limited to 300 copies (150 on red with black swirl vinyl  / 150 on black vinyl) 
Comes with a digital download card. 

SUFFERING LUNA with THE ASTRONAUT KING / SUFFER THE STORM split LP 
Previous Suffering Luna and The Astronaut King team up for a cross country collaboration to bring you the feral offering "Most High" which walks the line between mammoth-sized doom and psychotic noise, creating an almost trance-like listening experience.  Fans Of early Cavity, Grief, and 16 will be sure to devour this potent piece of noise inspired psych-doom.  

Suffer The Storm’s twenty-two minute droning funeral hymn, “Squalor,” takes the listener on an unforgiving trip to the deepest depths of human filth, despair and misanthropy. Guttural death metal-esque vocals pave the way for this absolutely devastating slab of doom. Samples and various atmospherics help to enhance the mood of grim foreboding, and bring the listener closer to the edge of the abyss. Fans of Winter and Moss will not be disappointed. 

PRESSING DETAILS 
95 gold/white vinyl (pictured) 
100 white vinyl 
313 black vinyl

Both are available now at the KOTM WEBSTORE along with tons of distro items and be sure to check out out our "sale" section!  

Burn The Witch! SON OF MAN record preorder info

Son of Man have returned with four scathing tracks of black-metal inspired hardcore with the “Burn the Witch” 7” (KOTM 47). Also mixing elements of thrash, hardcore, and punk, the folks in Son of Man have morbidly constructed an air of dread, despair, abject nihilism and skull-crushing barbarism. Title track “Burn the Witch” seems bent on destruction within the first few seconds, while “Last Cries of the Dead” pounds along at the same maniacal pace. Standout track “Chiroptophobia” gets off to a blistering start, only to slow to a doomed-out dirge half-way through. The EP was recorded by Alex Estrada at The Earth Capital Studios (Nails, Touche Amore, Xibalba) during the winter months of 2012 / 2013.

Formed in 2006 by John Spence and Mike Browne in Southern California, Son of Man self-released their debut S/T 7” back in 2010, that featured artwork by the enigmatic Dwid Hellion. The band refuse to play live, opting instead to play their “end of the world” anthems in undisclosed “bunkers” across Southern California

THIS ITEM IS A PRE-ORDER. 
WE EXPECT TO START SHIPPING THESE OUT AROUND MAY 7 IF EVERYTHING GOES AS PLANNED.

CLICK HERE TO ORDER

UZALA European Vacation

UZALA are set to invade Europe next week supporting longtime friends Sabbath Assembly!  If you live near any of the scheduled shows we recommend you do not miss them live!
UZALA will also have copies of "Tales Of Blood & Fire" on limited red vinyl with them (that is if customs will stop being dicks).

Sabbath Assembly (us) / UZALA (us) • 
Idols and Altars Europe Tour 2014 
3rd – 17th May 2014

3rd May 2014 Copenhagen, Denmark Heavy Days in Doomtown III, Ungdomshuset

4th May Copenhagen, Denmark Heavy Days in Doomtown III, Ungdomshuset

5th May Nijmegen, The Netherlands De Onderbroek

6th May Amsterdam, The Netherlands Vrankrijk

7th May Hamburg, Germany Hafenklang

8th May Leeuwarden, The Netherlands Poppodium Romein

9th May Antwerpen, Belgium Het Bos

10th May Oberhausen, Germany Helvete Metal Club

11th May Kassel, Germany Hammerschmiede

12th May Leipzig, Germany Liwi

13th May Berlin, Germany Urban Spree

14th May Helsingborg, Sweden TBA

15th May Oslo, Norway Revolver

16th May Stockholm, Sweden Pussy A-Go-Go (The Liffey)17th May Gothenburg, Sweden Truckstop Alaska 

WHAT'S HAPPENING?

We're not very good at keeping up with the blog are we?  Sorry about that.
Here's what has been happening at KOTM...

1) UZALA returned safe and sound from their US tour and report that they had a great time.  Thanks to all who came out and helped them out.  We have vinyl and CD copies of "Tales Of Blood & Fire" in the webstore and the band has some left over merch from on their site here.  We will begin working on the reissue of the s/t album and "Cataract" 12" shortly so stay tuned for info regarding that.

2)   SUTEKH HEXEN released "Monument Of Decay" on Black Horizons shortly after "Become" came out.  We will have copies up in the webstore by the end of the week (as well as tons of other stuff).  A very small amount of limited gold vinyl versions of "Become" are left as well.  

3) SUFFERING LUNA / SUFFER THE STORM split has been mastered and we are just waiting on artwork.  Expect this beast to see the light of day before the years end.

4) BLOOD BRIGHT STAR recently released a split 7" with High Aura'd on Anti-Matter Records (we have copies and will be adding this to webstore update this week).  Their album for KOTM is being mastered and will most likely be out late 2013/early 2014.

5) ENEWETAK discography is still going to happen (hopefully out in mid-2014) and we are pleased to announce that we will also be releasing the discography for one of the bands that helped start it all, UNRUH (!!!), sometime in 2014 as well.

6) Other upcoming releases for early 2014 will be SON OF MAN second 7" and LUSITANIA 12".

UZALA preorder info

Preorders for "Tales Of Blood & Fire" by UZALA went live today!
Click HERE to purchase a copy for yourself!

The LP version comes on three colorways:

588 black vinyl
98 silver/black vinyl
93 black/white vinyl (available only on Uzala's upcoming tour)

and come housed in beautiful Stoughton covers with booklet insert.

The CD version comes in a gatefold Stoughton cover and also includes a booklet insert.

All preorders will arrive on or before the album's release date of October 15th.

Arise Despair - UZALA "Tales Of Blood & Fire"

Things are progressing as scheduled for the release of "Tales Of Blood & Fire" by UZALA on Tuesday October 15.  Test presses are approved, inserts are completed, and the covers are being printed at Stoughton.  We will have more ordering info soon as the time draws nearer.  

"Tales Of Blood & Fire" is the second album by Boise/Portland's UZALA and features five tracks of psychedelic doom.  Recorded at Witch Ape Studio by Tad Doyle (TAD, Brothers of the Sonic Cloth) and mixed/mastered at Soli Studio by Mell Dettmer (SUNNO))), Boris, Earth, Wolves in the Throne Room, WOLVSERPENT).

Be sure to catch UZALA on tour to celebrate the release of "Tales Of Blood & Fire".  

UZALA Tales of Blood & Fire Autumnal Wanderings

(¥ with MOUNT SALEM, † with Sabbath Assembly)

10/13 Portland, OR @ Mississippi Studios FALL INTO DARKNESS FESTIVAL w/ Hammers of Misfortune and The Skull (ex Trouble)

10/14 Seattle, WA @ Chop Suey with Black Queen 

10/15 Boise, ID @ Visual Arts Collective UZALA RECORD RELEASE SHOW w/ Muscle & Marrow

10/16 SLC, UT @ Bar Deluxe w/ EAGLE TWIN

10/17 Denver, CO @ Three Kings w/ Space in Time and Munimula

10/18 Madison, WI @ WISCO w/ OROGEN ¥

10/19 Chicago, IL @ Township w/ BONGRIPPER ¥

10/20 Columbus, OH @ Ruby Tuesday's w/ LO PAN ¥

10/21 Brooklyn, NY @ St. Vitus Bar w/ local support tba ¥

10/22 DAY OFF/ NO SHOW

10/23 Providence, RI @ Dusk w/ Bog of the Infidel ¥

10/24 Boston, MA @ venue tba with Set and Keefshovel ¥

10/25 Philadelphia, PA @ Kung Fu Necktie with Heavy Temple ¥

10/26 Baltimore, MD @ Ottobar AUTUMN SCREAMS DOOM FEST w/ LOSS, Serpentine Path, Churchburn, others ¥

10/27 Richmond, VA @ Strange Matter w/ Druglord ¥

10/28 Chapel Hill, NC @ Local 506 w/ Caltrop ¥

10/29 Atlanta, GA @ venue TBA ¥

10/30 New Orleans, LA @ venue TBA ¥

10/31 Austin, TX @ Red 7 w/ COMMUNION †

11/01 Fort Worth, TX @ The Grotto w/ Solomon †

11/02 Denton, TX @ Rubber Gloves w/ Dead to a Dying World †

The Voice::The Void - SUTEKH HEXEN "Become" available on vinyl

It has been a long time coming caused by numerous delays at the pressing plant but we can finally say that "Become" by SUTEKH HEXEN is now available on vinyl to purchase in our webstore!  

Originally released as a 1/4" tape reel by Auris Apothecary, "Become" centers on vortex, repetition, and inducing trance-like states.  This release serves to bridge the gap between "Behind The Throne" (Magic Bullet Records 2012) and "Monument of Decay" (Black Horizons 2013).  "Become" has been remastered for vinyl by James Plotkin and is presented in HEAVY Stoughton tip-on jackets, featuring lavish metallic gold and black offset printing, and available on two colorways (gold vinyl or black vinyl).  It is adorned with brand new artwork and layout by Kevin Gan Yuen with source photography by Patricia Cram.  

SUTEKH HEXEN will be performing at this years Stella Natura Festival along with Ash Borer, Hell, Amber Asylum, Loss, Kinit Her and tons of other amazing acts.

Pick up a copy of "Become" HERE

The Devil Is In The Details

A few quick updates on the state of King Of The Monsters' current and future endeavors.

1.
The AGARTTHA "A Water Which Does Not Wet Hands" LP is completed and available for order at the KOTM webstore.  The limited purple vinyl copies are going fast.

This release has been receiving a lot of really positive feedback and we could not agree more.  It had been an honor to work on this project and we could not be happier with its outcome.

Here is a video for "Chymische Hochzeit" from the album for you to enjoy:

Agarttha - Chymische Hochzeit from Agarttha on Vimeo.

2.
 The SERVILE SECT "Glowing" 10" is also out now and available for sale in the webstore. The record features three new tracks of blackened sci-fi soundscapes and packaged with cover/insert design by Mike Bjella from Gog/Sounds Of Battle And Souvenir Collecting.  This in our opinion is some of the best SS material to date.

Expect three more releases from SS to follow later this year/early next.

3.
After several delays with vinyl version of "Become" by SUTEKH HEXEN, it seems like we can finally see the light at the end of the tunnel.  We are told the vinyl will ship to us shortly and we will begin taking preorders very soon including a few special "die hard" versions.  Details forthcoming.

4.
The new UZALA album "Tales Of Blood & Fire" is also at the pressing plant.  Test presses should arrive next week and we hope to have the whole project completed by the end of August.  There will be a CD version for this as well as the vinyl versions (two different limited colorways as well as standard black).
 More details to follow.

If you live on the West Coast be sure to go see them live this August.

8/11 - SAN FRANCISCO @ Hemlock w/ Laudanum, Bottom Feeder
8/12 - OAKLAND @ Eli's Mile High w/Augurs, Cardinal Wyrm
8/13 - OAKLAND @ Oakland Metro Operahouse w/ VHOL, Scolex
8/14 - ARCATA @ TBA
8/15 - EUGENE @ TBA
8/16 - SEATTLE @ Highline w/ VHOL, Bone Sickness, Brain Scraper

5. 
The split LP between SUFFERING LUNA and SUFFER THE STORM is being mastered now.  More details forthcoming.  In the meantime check out the SUFFERING LUNA interview done by Todd from Dystopia/Mange that appears in issue #64 of Profane Existence HERE

6.
We are also proud to announce upcoming releases by BLOOD BRIGHT STAR, SON OF MAN, ABDUCTION and LUSITANIA along with the long talked about ENEWETAK discography, the UZALA reissue of the s/t LP and the 'Cataract' single and a few others that we can't let out of the bag quite yet.  

For more up to date news please "like" us on Facebook.

AGARTTHA "A Water Which Does Not Wet Hands" LP

We are very excited to announce that the AGARTTHA LP is nearing completion! The covers, insert, and posters are printed and the tests are en route to the Italy for inspection. If all goes as scheduled the record should be available in mid-April. Preorders are now being taken HERE with the first 100 orders receiving limited purple colored vinyl! This is one of favorite releases to date on the label and hope you agree.

To tide you over read the stunning review and stream a track at one of our favorite sites The Inarguable.

"The magnitude of this music will not fully hit you at first, but rather when you least expect it, manifesting as a slow frown on a sunny day or a late night bout of racing thoughts. There is terror in beauty. There is black pitch within the flame...." -The Inarguable

Upcoming Releases & more!

As promised the new year has brought a reopened and restocked webstore. Titles added by Gog, Uzala, Aluk Todolo, Evoken, Halla/Anal Blasphemy split, Gehenna/Integrity split, and more! Plus we are doing a sale on selected 7" and 12" titles.

We are also please to announce some upcoming releases on KOTM in 2013!

-AGARTTHA LP
-SERVILE SECT - Glowing 10"
-UZALA s/t LP (us repress with bonus 12")
-SUTEKH HEXEN - Become LP (vinyl version)
-SUFFERING LUNA w/THE ASTRONAUT KING / SUFFER THE STORM split LP

and a few other things! 2013 will be a busy and musically fulfilling year! Thank you to everyone who has made getting to this point possible. Without your support I could not have made it.

PS The USPS has raised their shipping rates so unfortunately so did we. Sorry.

Webstore closed for the holidays. 2013 news forthcoming.

The KOTM webstore will be closed until January 1st. Sorry. On the first of the year we will reopen with tons of new distro items so be sure to check back then.

Also, we will be posting an update of some of our upcoming releases of 2013. We are very excited about what we have in the pipeline!

Thank you to everyone for making this year a great one. We appreciate the support and feedback we received and hope to continue to satisfy your aural needs in the new year!

KOTM welcomes AGARTTHA to the family

We here at KOTM are very pleased and excited to be announce and release the debut from AGARTTHA!

From the backward special theatre of archetypes, Agarttha is a flashing journey into the past dream of a gypsy moth whos powder ferries the listener into the twists and turns of the unconscious among remote architectures of black pointed stones and echoes of warmth and light.

This LP will be mastered by James Plotkin and is set to release sometime before the end of the year. More details to follow as they become available.

In the meantime, check out a video for 'Storms As He Walks' below.

UZALA / MALA SUERTE split 7"

King of the Monsters is proud to annoucne the upcoming release of one of the heaviest splits of 2012 – a 7″ collaboration between Boise fuzz-doom shamans UZALA and Austin, TX’s own psych-minded doom fiends MALA SUERTE. Preorders are now up in the webstore, and will ship in early November. The split features a brand-new track from each band, as well as mind-blowing cover art, courtesy of UZALA chanteuse, axe-slinger, and celebrated tattoo artist Darcy Nutt and MALA SUERTE vocalist Gary Rosas.

The release is limited to 500 copies, with the first 100 available on black/white split vinyl and the remaining 400 entombed in obsidian black.

MALA SUERTE’S “The Veil of Secrecy” is an older fan favorite, recorded in winter 2010. The UZALA song was recorded at Type Foundry in Portland, OR in August 2011 with Alex Yusimov at the helm, mixed by Blake Green at WOLVSERPENT STUDIOS, and mastered by Mell Dettmer.

TRACKLISTING
Uzala – Burned
Mala Suerte – The Veil of Secrecy

Preorder HERE

MOLOCH / CLOSURE split 7"

We've begun taking preorders for the MOLOCH / CLOSURE split 7" today! Preorders are limited to 100 copies on blue vinyl. All the details below...

Moloch / Closure split 7" - PREORDER VERSION - BLUE VINYL LIMITED TO 100 comes w/ MOLOCH patch

- Moloch - UK sludge doom violence
- Closure - UK powerviolence

Harking back to the 90s when Sludge & PV bands went arm in arm. Brutal and ugly. A split release between Feast of Tentacles (UK) and King os the Monsters (US).

Visit the KOTM STORE to order a copy if you live in the US or Canada.

UK and the rest of Europe should order from Feast Of Tentacles HERE.

These will be shipping out late September / early October if all goes as planned.