Wolvhammer, Auternus, Sleep Agents

WOLVHAMMER is a metal band based in Minneapolis, Minnesota. Self-described "blackened sludge punk," they recently released the Dawn of the 4th EP, a follow-up to their first EP, Rich with Bloodfuel. Their drummer offered the following statement about the band; "We wanted to take the things we loved about old school black metal/post-punk/hardcore/doom/rock and infuse that into something truly honest. No bullshit Satanism or sensationalism, just pure honest hatred for religion, capitalism, politics, sheep mentality and typical human behaviour. We wanted to write simple, memorable, and truly hate-filled metal anthems for ourselves and all the other blue collar, working poor, and generally unsatisfied people who are looking for something raw and classic as soundtrack to rise up and fight the status quo around them in any way they see fit to do" - their drummer H.R. Their first full-length, Black Marketeers Of World War III has been released in 2010 by Init Records.

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Minneapolis, MN (United States) 2006 – Present

After the release of their 2009 full-length, "Thresholds Of Imbalance", BATTLEFIELDS lost founding guitarist Andrew Wallin, and went on a brief hiatus from playing shows. "Agassiz" is the band's return to the trenches with two new members and a more sonically assaulting blackened blend of metal and hardcore. Agassiz blasts through six songs in under a half-hour, presenting a concept EP of the glacial lake Agassiz, whose dried up geographic location is where the band's base of operations lies. Fans of the band's previous work my be taken aback by the sheer force of this new material, with pummeling blast beats, but there is still the familiar sound throughout the EP that BATTLEFIELDS has perfected since it's conception in 2006. Agassiz lyrical content deals with when Lake Agassiz's ice dams broke and rose sea levels, destroying the old world, and setting up the new world for corrupt religious control. Featuring artwork and layout by Seldon Hunt. -Initrecords.com


The band was formed in 2006 by Rusty Steele (ex-Dispensing of False Halos), Rob Schmidt, Andrew Wallin, Matt Ricigliano and with an open door to contributing guest bassist, Dylan Desmond (Samothrace/Lethe), Ryan Cofer (ex-Strong Like Bear), Zander Ness(Høst), Erik Torkleson (ex-examination of the…) and current touring bassist Casey Loren (ex-Ricky Fitts). Battlefields play a mixture of dark ambient metal, post-hardcore and sludge.

Battlefields have been touring relentlessly for the last four years and accruing massive accolades for their brutally honest music and astounding live performances and their two previous records, both released on indie label Init Records. BATTLEFIELDS have definitely stepped up to the plate and created an instant classic in “Thresholds of Imbalance” that encompasses a new direction in extreme and epic mind-expansive music.

BATTLEFIELDS’ Translation Loss debut “Thresholds Of Imbalance” was recorded at The Devil’s Workshop in Minnesota with drummer and engineer Rob Schmidt and was mastered by Nick Zampiello at New Alliance Audio (Torche, Jesu, Battle of Mice) with art direction and concepts by Paul Romano for Workhardened.com (Mastodon, Godflesh, Dead to Fall).

On top of sharing the stage with the likes of Red Sparowes, Wolves in the Throne Room, Tombs, Minsk, Kylesa, Pelican, Baroness, A Storm of Light, High on Fire, Akimbo, Cephalic Carnage, Planes Mistaken for Stars, Big Business, Russian Circles, Coliseum, Genghis Tron, This Will Destroy You and Murder by Death, as well as, toured extensively with Rosetta, Irepress, Amen Ra, Across Tundra, Overmars, Across Tundras, Adai, Junius, Lye by Mistake, City of Ships they have also appeared the last three years at SXSW playing highly successful showcases. Battlefields not only have toured the U.S. in its entirety, but have also toured in the U.K. and Europe.


“all of the explosiveness and abrasiveness that made their first two releases so appealing, but it also takes a major step in a more depressing, less accessible direction. It might take a few listens, but it won't be long before sludge and doom metal fans will be all over this." -Lambgoat.com

“it’s in fact a brilliant album that sees Battlefields fully unfurl their sound to its potential and should see them mentioned in the genre’s elite.” “This could easily be 2009s second best post rock album behind Wavering Radiant, and that’s no small feat.” -TeethoftheDevine.com

“Thresholds Of Imbalance” proves that you don't have to play music at a frantic pace to create something epic. Battlefields is a one and a million band that has surpassed Isis, to become the next great underground band.” –Hardcoresounds.com

“this is one of the premiere metal bands from this region; if you are a metal fan and live within 20 miles of Fargo or Minneapolis, consider yourself ashamed to not know this band after Thresholds. And truthfully, any doom metal fan in the nation should definitely check out this album this year if you consider yourself a fan of the genre” –Mind Inversion

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