Ireland's ALTAR OF PLAGUES have issued the following update:

"We have completed work on our new EP, entitled Tides.

Tides is comprised of two tracks; 'Atlantic Light' (15:45) and 'The Weight of All' (19:45). Inspiration was drawn almost entirely from the power and energy of the Atlantic Ocean. The product is what we believe to be our ‘darkest’ material yet. Perhaps this may also be attributed to it being the first material we have written and recorded in winter (and a particularly harsh one).

Tides will be released in April via Burning World Records on both CD and vinyl. The vinyl will be presented on 180g wax in a deluxe gatefold package, and the first 100 copies will include a limited photo-booklet featuring photography by James Kelly.

The CD version will be available April 1st, the vinyl version a month later but will be available on the Roadburn Festival in Tilburg where we will perform.

An audio sample will be made available soon."

Candlelight Records recently announced the signing of Altar Of Plagues.

The band comments: "Altar of Plagues are very glad to announce we have signed with Candlelight Records in Europe. We are proud to sit on a roster alongside many bands that we have long admired and that have been a constant source of inspiration for what we do, particularly the likes of EMPEROR, ENSLAVED and BLUT AUS NORD. We feel Candlelight's aesthetic compliments what we do perfectly and we're looking forward to working alongside them in 2010 and beyond."

Altar of Plagues was formed in 2006. Terms that are most frequently used to describe their sound include black metal, ambient and progressive or post metal, though it seems no one description can sum up the acts massive sound. The act themselves consider black metal to be the genre to which they are most attached, but on the contrary they have also been quoted to take influence from acts as diverse as EMPEROR, BJORK, and ARVO PÄRT.

The band's untraditional aesthetic and approach to their music has led to Altar of Plagues appealing to a wide variety of listeners and this may be seen by the diverse range of acts Altar of Plagues have toured with, including ISIS and MAYHEM, as well as having appeared at festivals that focus on ‘extreme’ metal and festivals that encourage experimentation and diversity.

Following the release of only one demo and an EP, Altar of Plagues signed to Canadian label, Profound Lore Records. In 2009 the act released White Tomb, an album that was described by a number of critics as one of 2009's best and most exciting releases. Last year saw the band tour extensively throughout Europe, and now 2010 is proving to be an even more promising year for the act, with a forthcoming E.P release on Roadburn Records as well as receiving an invitation to perform at the renowned Roadburn Festival, more extensive touring and just recently, signing to the revered Candlelight Records.

For more info visit www.myspace.com/altarofplagues.