Phantasm the new album from black metallers HELLSAW is due for release this week on the German Folter Records label. The nine- track album was produced by DARK FORTRESS’ Victor Bullok and will be the second full-length release from the Austrian band, whose 2005 Spiritual Twilight, together with extensive touring, established the name of Hellsaw in the European underground.

Continuing with the Dark Fortress connection, Hellsaw will use a piece written for them by Dark Fortress’ keyboard player Paymon, as outro to their set for the recently announced 18 date European tour with Niklas Kvarforth’s SHINING and former MAYHEM vocalist Maniac’s new doom black metal project SKITLIV.

Vocalist Aries had this to say about December’s tour: “We’re obviously very excited about the prospect of touring with Shining and Skitliv, not least because all three bands are exponents of quite different types of black metal, and we each have our own style of stage show, which makes it much more interesting for the fans, as well as for the bands concerned. We play the more traditional style of black metal, the one most people associate with the genre. Shining are the masters of suicidal black metal, there are few who come anywhere close to them. And as for Maniac, well, what can you say? The new generation of black metal bands coming up today owe him a debt of gratitude. He was one of the very first - one of the pioneers who made it all possible for the rest of us. I think we’re as interested as everyone else to see how much further he can push the genre’s boundaries”.

'The Ember Of Your Own' from Phantasm and material from previous releases, together with full tour dates can be found on the band’s MySpace page.