Fear, Emptiness, Decibel: April Issue Previews the 2016 Decibel Magazine Tour

Before there were blogs there were these things called magazines, and the only metal magazine we still get excited about reading every month is Decibel. Here’s managing editor Andrew Bonazelli…

Abbath’s iconic mug shines like a full moon on the cover of April’s Decibel, conspicuously larger than the other three frontmen of bands (High on Fire, Skeletonwitch, Tribulation) performing on the 2016 Decibel Tour. It was on purpose. The man’s influence and persona is such that any and all amplification is totally appropriate. This is a rare case of a big head being a good thing!

In this issue, we detail all the inter-band micro-drama that gives our fifth North American tour some added spice: Tribulation daring to broaden their sound beyond blunt-force OSDM; Skeletonwitch debuting a brand new frontman after a murky shake-up; High on Fire thriving despite frontman Matt Pike’s evolution into full-on Conspiracy Dude; Abbath going it alone after the acrimonious implosion of Immortal. And yet, three of those four artists just recently bestowed some of their most ripping music yet upon the world — not to mention we’re counting the days to Skeletonwitch’s debut EP with vocalist Adam Clemans of Wolvhammer — so no complaints here. Dynamism, devastation and diversity are the hallmarks of the Decibel Tour, and 2016 will underscore that in the blackest of black.

As per tradition, a tour artist graciously does damage on the Flexi Series. So, soundtrack a stacked issue (Fates Warning HOF, Choosing Death Fest preview, super-quotable Mustaine Q&A, Jeff Walker talking shit on various and sundry bands) to Tribulation delivering a double dose of classic Misfits covers.

The April 2016 issue of Decibel can be purchased here, and also features Rotting Christ, Inverloch, and Venomous Concept. But only dweebs won’t just get a full subscription.