KNIGHTS OF THE ABYSS – The Culling of Wolves

[mp3player width=600 height=400 config=knightsoftheabyss.xml playlist=knightsoftheabyss.xml]

If, in the last five years, you’ve somehow managed to miss out on Glendale, Arizona’s Knights of the Abyss, it’s time for things to change. Since 2005, the death metal outfit has released two explosive albums through Candlelight/S.O.A.R. and Ferret Music respectively, 2007’s Juggernaut and 2008’s Shades, and have toured with the likes of The Acacia Strain, Annotations Of An Autopsy, Arsonists Get All The Girls, and more. On August 17, Knights of the Abyss will unleash their third opus, The Culling of Wolves, an album that’s going to change all preconceived notions about the band forever.

Those familiar with Knights of the Abyss may not recognize the band on The Culling of Wolves, but then again, they may not recognize any of the band members’ names either. Aside from founding guitarist and main Knights song scribe Nick Florence, Knights is rounded out by an entire new cast of characters. Vocalist Harley Magnum joined the band this year, while guitarist Brian McNulty, drummer Ben Harclerode, and bassist Griffin Kolinski entered the fold in 2009. The result is a more mature, more focused, more metal Knights. This is a death metal band, not a deathcore group, as they’ve been so unfairly labeled. The Culling of Wolves’ sound bridges the gap between Black Dahlia Murder, All Shall Perish, and Behemoth and it’s a devastatingly vicious blitz on the senses, inspired by the melodic death metal greats of Gothenburg.

“The main writing force of the band, as far as guitars go, is still there, but for the most part, there’s a lot of influence from the new members and I think fans are going to hear that on the new record,” explains Kolinski, who, like the rest of the band, was approached by Florence to replace members who’d left to pursue higher education and other endeavors. “I do feel that this is the strongest and heaviest Knights record to date. It is a completely new band, but this new record does have elements on it that old fans will like. We’ve moved away from some of the old stuff, and there’s a lot more groove and heavier aspects on the new record. Some of the old fans will love the new direction we’ve taken.”

The Culling of Wolves contains 11 blistering, crushing tracks and, while a concept record in theory, is not your typical concept LP. There’s no story that runs through the disc, but there was definitely a major inspiration behind songs like “The House of Crimson Coin,” “The Swine of the Holy Order,”and the album’s first single, “Deceiver’s Creed:” The U.S. Treasury Department.

“I am afraid it probably is a very opinionated record, but we’re not slamming anyone; we’re just making our opinions known,” the bassist says, before explaining that some songs focus on the creation of the Federal Reserve while others revolve around The Bilderberg Group (an unofficial, invitation-only conference of men of influence in the fields of politics, banking, business, the military and media) and Bohemian Grove, a 2,700-acre campground in California that hosts an annual three-week encampment of some of the most powerful men in the world.

To support The Culling of Wolves, Knights of the Abyss plan on spending the next year or more on the road, and already have tours lined up with Cattle Decapitation, Conducting From the Grave, Burning The Masses, and more.

“We’re death metal and that’s all we’ve ever wanted to be,” says Kolinski in conclusion. “We’re not trying to associate ourselves with anything but death metal. We want to head out with bigger straight metal acts and we don’t want to back ourselves into a corner. This record is a huge expansion on the band and a natural progression for this band. We’re a new and improved Knights. This version is bigger and better and we’re more solid live.”

* Pre-order The Culling of Wolves here!

The Culling of Wolves Track List
1. The House of Crimson Coin
2. Pandemic
3. Dead to Reform
4. Deceiver’s Creed
5. Slave Nation
6. Cremation of Care
7. Flight of Molech
8. Council of Wolves
9. Swine of the Holy Order
10. Den of the Deceived
11. The Culling

Knights of the Abyss Live!
Aug 25 2010 Tucson, AZ Club DV8
Aug 26 2010 Santa Fe, NM Warehouse 21
Aug 27 2010 Austin, TX Club Encore
Aug 28 2010 Mansfield, TX The Warehouse
Aug 29 2010 Wichita, KS Eagles Lodge
Aug 30 2010 St. Louis, MO Fubar
Sep 1 2010 Nashville, TN The Muse
Sep 3 2010 Jacksonville, FL The Pit
Sep 4 2010 Loganville, GA The Movement Venue
Sep 5 2010 Marietta, GA Swayze’s
Sep 6 2010 Johnson City, TN Poor Richard’s
Sep 8 2010 Raleigh, NC The Brewery
Sep 9 2010 Fredricksburg, VA The Refuge
Sep 10 2010 Linthicum, MD Lhume
Sep 11 2010 Huntington, WV Fred Jr’s
Sep 12 2010 Cincinnati, OH Play By Play Cafe
Sep 13 2010 Riverview, MI Rack and Roll
Sep 14 2010 Elgin, IL Mad Maggies
Sep 15 2010 Kansas City, MO The El Torreon
Sep 16 2010 Jefferson, SD Jefferson Community Center

w/ Cattle Decapitation
Sep 29 2010 The Clubhouse Tempe, Arizona
Sep 30 2010 Launchpad Albuquerque, New Mexico
Oct 4 2010 Ridglea Theatre Ft. Worth, Texas
Oct 5 2010 The Marquee Tulsa, Oklahoma
Oct 6 2010 Downtown Music Little Rock, Arkansas
Oct 7 2010 White Rabbit San Antonio, Texas
Oct 8 2010 The High Ground Metairie, Louisiana
Oct 9 2010 Brass Mug Tampa, Florida
Oct 10 2010 Cruisers Stuart, Florida
Oct 12 2010 Back Booth Orlando, Florida
Oct 13 2010 Volume 11 Raleigh, North Carolina
Oct 14 2010 Ground Zero Spartanburg, South Carolina
Oct 15 2010 Sonar Baltimore, Maryland
Oct 16 2010 Mojo 13 Wilmington, Delaware
Oct 17 2010 Karma Patchogue, New York
Oct 18 2010 Santo’s Party House New York, New York
Oct 19 2010 The Chance Poughkeepsie, New York
Oct 20 2010 Club Paradise Buffalo, New York
Oct 21 2010 Peabody’s Cleveland, Ohio
Oct 22 2010 Harpo’s Detroit, Michigan
Oct 23 2010 Reggie’s Rock Club Chicago, Illinois
Oct 24 2010 Sokol Underground Omaha, Nebraska
Oct 25 2010 Marquis Theatre Denver, Colorado
Oct 26 2010 In The Venue Salt Lake City, Utah
Oct 27 2010 The Venue Boise, Idaho
Oct 28 2010 Studio 7 Seattle, Washington
Oct 29 2010 Satyricon Portland, Oregon
Oct 30 2010 Thee Parkside San Fransisco, California
Oct 31 2010 The Farm Las Vegas, Nevada
Nov 1 2010 The Seen Hesperla, California
Nov 2 2010 The Whisky West Hollywood, California