THE BEAST

Today, Purity Through Fire sets April 30th as the international release date for the the striking debut album of Germany's Slagmark, Purging Sacred Soils, on CD, A5 digipak, and cassette tape formats. The vinyl LP version will follow at a later date.

Although a brand-new entity, Slagmark feature members of Sarkrista and Totenwache. As such, the brand play pure and proud BLACK METAL of the old 'n' cold variety. Trace elements of classic Finnish-style black metal run rampant across Purging Sacred Soils - a cryogenic fire, steeped in filth and fury as it is hateful - which is not surprising given the Sarkrista connection, they a band of transplanted Finns. Indeed, Slagmark add new fuel to the fire that stokes the classic Finnish/German alliance, tearing through six songs in a swift half-hour of raw 'n' righteous splendor. Familiar it may be, but "returning to misery and comfort," as Sargeist once put it, is a quintessentially black metal activity...

Nasty melodicism, dangerous execution, a total disregard for modernity and "progression"...begin Purging Sacred Soils with Slagmark!

The first purging can be found with the brand-new track "As Cathedrals Drowned in Flames" HERE at Purity Through Fire's YouTube channel. Cover and tracklisting are as follows:

1. Hexenhammer

2. Feeding the Urge to Destroy
3. Purging Sacred Soils
4. Built on Bone Hills
5. Eradication of all Terrestrial Ulcer
6. As Cathedrals Drowned in Flames
7. Unleash our Brutish Wrath