Dutch Metal Rockers BLACK NAZARETH have signed a licensing deal with Wormholedeath for their self titled album "Black Nazareth", due for release on July 8th, 2022.
After releasing all of the songs as singles, the band felt it was time to gather all of the singles into a mini album, along with a previously unreleased song. Black Nazareth's self-titled "Black Nazareth" is a masterpiece of pure and adrenaline-pumping rock!
It was in 2017 that Menno Gootjes approached Henry McIlveen with some ideas for a metal/rock album. As they previously worked together successfully in Threnody it was like a coming home to start writing together again. Even though this new project seemed far away from the pioneering progressive metal they made with Threnody it was experimental in every way. With the passing of every session slowly the focus of the project started to shift in a more rock-oriented approach. It was time to find some vocals!
End of 2018 Daniël de Jongh joined the team. Daniël past experience with progressive metal heroes Textures and other rock projects gave him a fitting profile for where the music was leading.
The road to completion was a long one. Menno’s engagements with the progressive rock veterans of Focus kept him on the road for extended periods. It wasn’t until end of 2019 that Martijn Spierenburg joined the band. The sound needed something more and Martijn’s experience with the hit scoring symphonic metal band Within Temptation gave that much extra. We had a line-up!
The name Black Nazareth is related to the city, Schiedam, where we started. The nickname of Schiedam is “Black Nazareth”. Schiedam is a city in the west of the Netherlands. It is located in the Rotterdam metropolitan area, west of Rotterdam and south of Delft. The city is known for its historical center with canals, and for having the tallest windmills in the world. Schiedam is also well known for the distilleries and malthouses and production of jenever (gin) so much so that in French and English the word schiedam (usually without a capital s-) refers to the town's Holland gin. This was the town's main industry during the early Industrial Revolution in the 18th and 19th century, a dark period to which it owed its former nickname "Zwart Nazareth" or "Black Nazareth”. It is uncertain what the real origin is from this name but legend has it that the city was blackened of all the coal, the citizens where drunk of the alcohol fumes and god had forsaken the town. "What good can come from Nazareth?" (John 1:46).
The band realised that releasing music during a global pandemic wasn’t most ideal, but waiting for another year was also not an option, so the group decided to release a song every month for the time being, and every release was to be followed by a video-clip. January 2021 the first video for Rivers Run Deep was out. Next releases followed up to end of August 2021. And writing sessions still continued even during lockdowns, remote writing meetings work too.
November 2021, a drink was presented named after the band; Black Nazareth No.3, Genuine Dutch Genever. Originally crafted in Schiedam, Holland and infused with the best elements to make a legendary drink. This genever is traditionally distilled by Serious Bee Distillers with the finest ingredients: malted barley, rye, corn, wheat, juniper berry, ginger, clove, raspberry leaf, elderflower, honey and vanilla.
End of 2021 the band entered into an agreement with Wormholedeath Records from Italy. A mini album with all singles up till now including one new unreleased song. Black Nazareth are:
Daniël de Jongh – Vocals
Martijn Spierenburg – Keys and programming
Menno Gootjes – Guitar
Henry McIlveen – Bass |
