Regain Records has announced the signing of NECRONAUT, the solo project of former DISMEMBER/CARNAGE drummer Fred Estby.

A press release on the signing reads as follows:

After more than 20 years in the death metal scene, former Dismember/Carnage drummer Fred Estby wanted to express his passion for different kinds of extreme music he’s bore since his youth. In 2008, Estby started to write and record material with the intention of having one unique vocalist for each song. Dubbed Necronaut, the project would become a reality one year later when Estby began contacting the many talented metal musicians he had in mind to complete the album of his diabolic dreams.

Estby is currently finalizing the self-titled album slated for release later this year via Regain Records. The cover artwork for this album is already done by Chat Zar, which created prosthetic effects for such movies as The Ring, Planet of the Apes and Darkman.

In short, Necronaut is a raw slab of old school metal and while the term 'old-school' alone goes a long way in accurately describing the sound that one should expect from Estby and co, Necronaut are so much more. The band’s approach is crude and dead simple, a la early BATHORY and VENOM mutated with BLACK SABBATH and IRON MAIDEN, but with an unorthodox bass-heavy production that allows the album to stand out amongst its peers. The goal was primitive brute force, but because of the manner in which Estby chose to achieve it, he also managed to create an aura of pure malevolence that, prior to this album’s creation, was likely difficult to imagine."

Says Estby: "The work on this album has been possessing me for the last 12 months and it is turning out exactly as raw, heavy and dirty as I hoped!"

Necronaut features the following guest musicians:

Vocalists:

- Chris Reifert (ABSCESS, AUTOPSY)
- Hellbutcher (NIFELHEIM)
- Tompa Lindberg (DISFEAR, LOCK UP)
- Nicke Andersson (IMPERIAL STATE ELECTRIC)

Solo guitarists:

- Tyrant (Nifelheim, DAGGER)
- Uffe Cederlund (Disfear, ex-ENTOMBED, PRINCIPALS OF EXISTENCE)
- Robert Pehrsson (DEATH BREATH, DUNDERTÅGET)
- Robert "Strings" Dahlqvist (Dundertåget)
- David Blomqvist (Dismember, Dagger)

The song 'Infecting Madness', featuring Chris Reifert on vocals, is streaming on Necronaut's MySpace page.