It’s 2023, and the music industry has totally changed. While 30 or 40 years ago musicians focused on the one band they were a part of, nowadays having a side project is almost mandatory. The revenue streams are different, file sharing and instant messaging allows for multiple music outlets for anyone, so it’s natural that gifted players decide to explore multiple musical avenues.
Volbeat’s Michael Poulsen dedicated over 20 years of his career to bringing the band to the status they have today. Releasing eight full-lengths, selling millions of albums, and filling stadiums worldwide was his only priority, and it comes as no surprise that they reached an incredible popularity across the globe. The combination of Elvis-style melodies and thrash metal riffs is unique, and they deserve every accolade they can get. However, the seeds of death metal were always there lingering in Michael’s brain, and finally a return to his roots is in order.
Before fronting Volbeat, Poulsen formed death metal band Dominus, which recorded four fast, brutal albums in the mid ‘90s. When he was putting together songs for Volbeat’s 2021 album, Servant Of The Mind, he wrote a bunch of death metal riffs and saved them on his hard drive. When he was done with the Volbeat record, he reopened the rusty gates to Armageddon and started putting together songs for his new death metal band Asinhell, whose debut album Impii Hora (Latin for Ungodly Hour), is a tribute to Poulsen’s favorite old-school groups. The songs are rooted in crushing riffs yet injected with strong guitar hooks and shout-along refrains.
From the opening cut, “Fall Of The Loyal Warrior,” to the last song “Foj For Helvede”, Poulsen professes his love for bands like Death, Entombed, Bolt Thrower, Autopsy, Dismember, Grave, Mercyful Fate, Possessed, and other old-school acts. While he is proud to wear his influences on his sleeves, Asinhell developed its own identity. The band went from being a mere idea to recording the pile-driving full-length Impii Hora in about a year.
Sonic Perspectives collaborator Rodrigo Altaf caught up with Michael Poulsen right before Volbeat’s concert in Atlantic City a few weeks ago, and they discussed Asinhell, the current Volbeat tour, future plans and much more. Watch below:
Impii Hora will be released September 29 via Metal Blade.
The album will be available in the following formats:
• Jewel case CD
• 180g Black Vinyl (Europe excl.)
• Crimson Red Marbled Vinyl (Europe excl.)
• White Vinyl (Europe excl., ltd. 1000)
• Gold/Black Dust (EMP excl., ltd.300)
• Clear w/ Red/White Splatter Vinyl (Europe Band store excl., ltd. 500)
• Silver Vinyl (US excl.)
• Silver w/ Red Splatter Vinyl (US. excl.)
• Black & White Melt Vinyl (US excl.)
• Red/Black Splatter Vinyl (US Band store excl., ltd. 500)
Pre-order here.
Tracklisting:
"Fall Of The Loyal Warrior"
"Inner Sancticide"
"Island Of Dead Men"
"Trophies"
"The Ultimate Sin"
"Wolfpack Laws"
"Desert Of Doom"
"Pyromantic Scryer"
"Impii Hora"
"Føj For Helvede"
"Fall Of The Loyal Warrior" video:
"Fall Of The Loyal Warrior" lyric video:
Asinhell are:
Michael Poulsen: Guitar
Marc Grewe: Vocals
Morten Toft Hansen: Drums
(Photo - Britt Bowman)
