METAL BLADE RECORDS – Partners With CYCLONE EMPIRE

Metal Blade Records is proud to announce a new partnership with underground German label, Cyclone Empire. Metal Blade will have the pleasure of bringing some of the most intense and cutting edge metal in Europe to North American shores. Cyclone Empire has been leading the underground in Europe with releases from the legendary Evocation, as well as underground acts such as Demonical, The Grotesquery, Black Sun Aeon, Funebrarum, Demiurg, Facebreaker and many more.

Cyclone Empire’s Martin Purr comments: “It’s very exciting to be taking the cooperation between our two labels to the next level. We have been searching for a serious and reliable partner in the North American territory for quite a while and I am particularly glad to have signed this licensing deal with Metal Blade Records, one of the most renowned partners in Metal you could possibly get there and also good old friends. With us licensing and releasing selected Metal Blade catalogue on vinyl, this mutual partnership will become even closer and stronger!”

The first two releases that fans will be able to get their hands on in North America are Evocation’s third full-length album, Apocalyptic, and Facebreaker’s latest slab of death metal, Infected.

Apocalyptic, the new album from the influential Swedes, Evocation, is the latest in the band’s come back since their re-incarnation in 2005. The band was active between 1991 and 1993 and recorded two demos that become some of the most sought after recordings in underground metal. Their cult status never waned and the band is recording some of their best material to date. In early 2010, Evocation started to record Apocalyptic. For the production of the new album, the band has been working in their own Evocation Studios. Drums were produced with Roberto Laghi (In Flames, Hardcore Superstar). Mastering duties were handled by the excellent crew at Studio Mega (Sonic Syndicate, Katatonia). Cover artwork and layout were done by the Polish artist Xaay (Behemoth, Nile). After having established themselves as one of Sweden’s most important Death Metal acts, this album sees Evocation take death metal to another level both as musicians and also as songwriters. No one will be left untouched by Apocalyptic. The album will be promoted by the band with massive touring and festival shows. The European release is scheduled for the 29th of October through CYCLONE EMPIRE RECORDS. Apocalyptic will also be licensed in the US & Canada by METAL BLADE RECORDS and will be releases on November 9th.

Facebreaker has been developing their aggressive style of death metal since 1999. They are set to release their third full length album, Infected, this fall. The album was recorded with some of the most renowned minds in metal, Jonas Kjellgren at Black Lounge Studios and Peter Tägtgren in Abyss studios. The combination of the band’s collective recording, touring and songwriting experience with the talents of Kjellgren and Tägtgren lends itself to what will sure to become Facebreaker’s most brutal and accomplished album to date. Infected will be available in North America on November 9th.

Listen to Bloodthirst, watch live videos and order Infected at http://www.metalblade.com/facebreaker.

For more information about Cyclone Empire Records, visit:
http://www.cyclone-empire.com