Oops, they’ve done it again! The good people over at Numero Group are taking another departure from the usual (stellar comps of forgotten soul, funky gospel, and such) to unleash upon the world a dark compilation of dragon-obsessed underground hard rock, the likes of which the world has never before known, in the form of Warfaring Strangers: Darkscorch Canticles.
Due for a February 2014 release, Strangers features 16 tracks from 70s basement bands that were really, really into wizards, the devil, and rockin’ out. Complete with Dungeons and Dragons-themed artwork and packaging so fancy only Lucifer himself could be behind the design, the compilation will be released on vinyl and CD. You get songs like “Slave of Fear,” “Black Death,” “Wizzard King,” and my personal favorite, “Sealed in a Grave.” The songs come from bands with names like Stonehenge, Stoned Mace, Medusa, and the slightly fancier/more terrifying Gorgon Medusa. A plague upon all your houses! But like, a fun plague, where you can’t stop head-banging.
Warfaring Strangers: Darkscorch Canticles tracklisting:
01. Air, “Twelve O’Clock Satanial”
02. Wrath, “Warlord”
03. Stonehenge, “King of the Golden Hall”
04. Triton Warrior, “Sealed in a Grave”
05. Junction, “Sorcerer”
06. Stone Axe, “Slave of Fear”
07. Wizard, “Seance”
08. Stoned Mace, “Tasmania”
09. Arrogance, “Black Death”
10. Sonaura, “Song of Sauron”
11. Dark Star, “Spectre”
12. Inside, “Wizzard King”
13. Space Rock, “Dark Days”
14. Medusa, “Black Wizard”
15. Gorgon Medusa, “Sweet Child”
16. Hellstorm, “Cry for the Newborn”
• Numero Group: http://www.numerogroup.com