Pitchfork

Twilight photo by Jennifer Garret

2006 may forever be known as the year metal crossed over-- or, at least, the year metal ransacked the casual indie listener's iPod. It was at Pitchfork, anyway: Mastodon's Blood Mountain entered the hallowed halls of Pitchfork's Best New Music section, songs and records from Nachtmystium, Agalloch, and Gojira drew considerable praise from our writers, and, last June, the website inaugurated its first monthly metal column, Brandon Stosuy's "Show No Mercy".

For kids who like their coffee black and their metal blacker, good news: Battle Kommand black metal overlords Nachtmystium and Twilight (featuring Nachtmystium frontman Blake "Azentrius" Judd and members of Isis, Leviathan, Krieg, and Draugar) each have new releases in the pipes for 2007.

First up, Twilight have parted ways with bandmate Malefic (aka Xasthur). "We wish him the best of luck with Xasthur...he still has our support 100%," wrote Judd.

They've also welcomed new member Aaron Turner (of Isis, Old Man Gloom, and House of Low Culture), who'll join Twilight this weekend as they begin writing their next record, the follow-up to 2005's self-titled debut. "We feel that Aaron will bring a new element into our formula and we're very excited to be working with him," enthused Azentrius.

Said album should be wrapped up by autumn, and will "NOT [be] recorded on 4 tracks in hotel rooms like the first! Everything will be way more pro this time around."

Nachtmystium, meanwhile, unleash a split CD/LP with Leviathan later this year via Southern Lord. "The new tracks continue in the same vein as [2006 LP] Instinct: Decay," Judd told Pitchfork, "yet much more aggressive and bizarre this time around. The band has also re-recorded the track 'Solitary Voyage' from the Demise album for this release with a very 'updated' sound, along with some cover tracks."

Nachtmystium bring the fury to bored teenage residents of rural and suburban strongholds (and a few very urban ones too) beginning in March. They'll be joined by Norwegian black metal outfit 1349. Cue chords of doom, cut to pile of burning skulls, fade to black.

Nachtmystium's path of destruction:

03-24 Jacksonville, FL - Thee Imperial *
03-25 Fort Lauderdale, FL - The Culture Room *
03-27 Atlanta, GA - Masquerade *
03-28 Nashville, TN - The Muse *
03-29 West Springfield, VA - Jaxx *
03-30 Poughkeepsie, NY - The Loft *
03-31 Bedford, NH - Mark's Place *
04-01 New York, NY - B.B. King Blues Club *
04-02 Quebec City, Quebec - L'Anti *
04-03 Montreal, Quebec - FouFounes *
04-04 Royun Noranda, Quebec - Petit Theater du Vieux Noranda *
04-06 Toronto, Ontario - Opera House *
04-07 Parma, Ohio - Jigsaw *
04-08 Mokena, IL - Pearl Room *
04-09 Saint Paul, MN - Station Four *
04-10 Topeka, KS - Static Bar *
04-11 Denver, CO - Bluebird Theater *
04-13 Hollywood, CA - Knitting Factory *
04-14 Corona, CA - Showcase Theater *
04-19 Houston, TX - Walter's on Washington *
04-27 Worcester, MD - Palladium (New England Metal and Hardcore Fest) *

* with 1349