Steve Bruder Des Lichts

Thy Catafalque Announce Twelfth Album

THY CATAFALQUE
Announce New Album
XII: A gyönyörű álmok ezután jönnek
The Best Dreams are Yet to Come for the Avant-Garde Visionary
“…yet another testament to the musical genius of Tamás Kátai” – No Clean Singing

amás Kátai has a vision that extends far beyond Hungary. While only intended as a studio project, over the past two decades, THY CATAFALQUE has grown into a lively collaboration that brings together other prominent musicians from inside and outside his country’s metal scene. With each album, he’s pushed the boundaries of extreme metal, bringing the world’s most vile art form into conversation with the avant-garde. 

His upcoming twelfth album is Thy Catafalque’s most expansive release yet. XII: A gyönyörű álmok ezután jönnek features many familiar faces from the project’s wide discography. Dreamy synths swirl amidst riffs that are both catchy and crushing. Traditional acoustic and classical instruments accompany production that’s slightly more modern. But A gyönyörű álmok ezután jönnek also ties back to Kátai’s past and the history of his home country.

“I felt it was time to move in a different direction, whatever that direction might be, but A gyönyörű álmok ezután jönnek still possesses the dreaminess that I’ve always associated with Thy Catafalque”, Kátai says. “There is a tinge of nostalgia, a tinge of sadness, a tinge of hope, a tinge of beauty and still a generous amount of metal”. 

XII: A gyönyörű álmok ezután jönnek comes out November 15, 2024 on Season of Mist.

Pre-order & Pre-save:

➤ https://orcd.co/thycatafalquexiiagyonyorualmokezutanjonnek

Watch the surreal video for the album’s title track and lead single here:

➤ https://youtu.be/T87BXWOTHbU

Of course, Tamás Kátai hasn’t been dreaming about his new album for too long. In true prolific fashion, Thy Catafalque’s twelfth album arrives just 14 months after the last one. Just like Alföld, Kátai set out to make a straightforward metal album, but while there are still plenty of chest-pounding moments, A gyönyörű álmok ezután jönnek took him on a surreal journey.

“I imagine these songs as guides through a dark night of the soul”, Kátai says. In the video for the title track, he runs through the streets of his hometown in  Makó. As the path winds through the placid countryside, he’s greeted by strange scenes from both the past and present: rusted-out rail cars, bare-knuckle brawling, mysterious packages being dumped in the woods, a red-headed woman singing stoically in a field. At one point, he’s stopped in his tracks by the sight of his doppelgänger digging his own grave.  

“The video is pretty personal”, Kátai says. “It was shot at places from my past and almost all of the actors are my old friends.” Despite the homecoming, the inspiration behind “A gyönyörű álmok ezután jönnek” isn’t so warm and fuzzy. “The title track comes from a place of disappointment”, he continues. “In the afterglow of nostalgia, there’s also a chill of disappointment”.

Even though it’s the closing song, “A gyönyörű álmok ezután jönnek” doesn’t end on a down beat. In fact, it just might be the catchiest song on the album. The return of tender brooding vocalist Gábor Dudás gives more than enough reason to celebrate, but the galloping hi-hats, bright hand claps and tireless, fist-pumping guitar hooks will make this song an instant staple of Thy Catafalque’s growing live set.

“The production has been very similar since Geometria” says Kátai. “This time around, I was aiming for a change in the overall sound”.

The flair for the avant-garde that has come to define Thy Catafalque shines through the darkness on album number twelve. But in order to see the light at the end of the tunnel, for the first time, Kátai needed some guidance from an outside producer. Granted, Gábor Vári is no stranger to how his mind works. When he’s not holed away in the studio with other prominent Hungarian metal bands, Gábor could be seen hammering away at his guitar on stage with Thy Catafalque on the live album Mezolit. In their time-honed hands, even the dark waves of synth on “A gyönyörű álmok ezután jönnek” glow with the faint but familiar reassurance of the dawn.

“The title means ‘The Beautiful Dreams Are Yet to Come'”, Kátai explains. “So even amidst the despair and disappointment, there’s still hope for a future that might offer warmer days after the darkness has ceded”.

The video for “A gyönyörű álmok ezután jönnek” was created by No Total Films.

More praise for Thy Catafalque

“Few musicians have as long and varied a career as Tamás Kátai of Thy Catafalque” – Angry Metal Guy

“Thy Catafalque are a one of a kind experiment that have never played by traditional rules or boundaries” – New Noise

“A monstrously entertaining, tightly diverse band” – Everying Is Noise

“…will delight metalheads of all stripes” – Echoes and Dust

Tracklist:
1. Piros Kocsi, Fekete Éj (4:12)
2. Mindenevö (6:35)
3. Vasgyár (6:18)
4. Világnak Világa (6:28)
5. Nyárfa, Nyírfa (2:53)
6. Lydiához (3:05)
7. Vakond (4:29)
8. Ködkiraly (7:58)
9. Aláhullás (3:48)
10. A gyönyörü álmok ezután jönnek (3:14) [WATCH]
11. Babylon (Bonus Track – Omega Cover) (3:42)*
Total runtime: 49:02
*Digital Only

For two decades, Tamás Kátai was content on sticking to the studio. That changed in 2021, when he and a cast of heavy hitters performed at the Fekete Zaj Festival. This milestone was later committed to memory on Mezolit, but Thy Catafalque has continued to grow into a steady and spectacular live act.

Earlier this year, Thy Catafalque headlined their  first tour of Europe. Now, to celebrate the project’s upcoming twelfth album, Kátai and his ever-growing list of collaborators will perform at four concerts across Europe. This includes two very special shows at one of Hungary’s most influential underground venues, where they’ll perform songs off XII: A gyönyörű álmok ezután jönnek, along with all ten tracks on the recently reissued fifth album Rengeteg.

During these two special shows at Dürer Kert, Thy Catafalque will be joined by the noisy experimentalists in Shum, labelmate Saor and Kátai’s old band, Gire.

Thy Catafalque 2024 Concerts:
September 1 – Campulung Muscel, Romania @ Posada Rock Festival [TICKETS]
October 12 – Thessaloniki, Greece, @ Mammothfest [TICKETS]
November 22 – Budapest, Hungary @ Dürer Kert w/ Saor [TICKETS]
November 23 – Budapest, Hungary @ Dürer Kert w/ Gire, Shum [TICKETS]

New fans and long-time appreciators can now rediscover just how much Thy Catafalque has grown since their humble beginnings as a duo. This year, Season of Mist re-issued Thy Catafalque’s first seven albums.

These reissues include first-edition pressings, limited color vinyls, UV-prints, 3D etchings and new artwork, plus bonus tracks.  
➤ Order:https://redirect.season-of-mist.com/ThyCatafalqueReissues

Tamás Kátai has a vision that extends beyond borders and boundaries. Even during its infancy, Thy Catafalque had already outgrown the rather rigid guidelines of black metal. Though only intended for the studio, over the past 20 years, his recording project has evolved into a lively collaboration. With each album, Thy Catafalque has pushed the envelope of extreme metal a step further, bringing the world’s most vile art form into conversation with the avant-garde.Thy Catafalque’s twelfth album is even more expansive, but XII: A gyönyörű álmok ezután jönnek ties both to its mastermind’s past and the history of his native Hungary. “For this album, I felt it was time to move in a different direction, whatever that direction might be”, Kátai says, “but XII still possesses the dreaminess that I’ve always associated with Thy Catafalque”.Of course, Kátai hasn’t been mulling over this album for too long. Keeping in line with his prolific pace, XII arrives just one year after his previous album. Named after the stretch of land where the producer, songwriter and multi-instrumentalist was born in southeast Hungary,  Alföld returned to the heaviness from which Thy Catafalque took root during the late ’90s. Once again, Kátai set out to make a straightforward metal record, but while there’s plenty of cause for chest-pounding, A gyönyörű álmok ezután jönnek ended up taking him on another surreal headtrip.”I think of this album as an introspective journey through the night”, Kátai says. Opener “Piros kocsi, fekete éj” (which in English means “Red Carriage, Black Night”) glides off through a warm mist of piping keys, led by twin engine guitars that crest with reverb. “Time clatters on the rails”. Attila Bakos sings in Hungarian. His voice beams over the airwaves with the same clean force as 15 years ago, when he helped lift Thy Catafalque out of the Hungarian underground on the recently reissued Róka hasa rádió.”Attila also sang on Rengeteg”, Kátai remembers about the first Thy Catafalque album that he wrote and recorded by himself. “‘Piros kocsi, fekete éj’ has the same sense for melody. It opens the album with a feeling of nostalgia”.Of course, many other familiar faces join Kátai on his journey. After all, Thy Catafalque started as a duo with János Juhász. A gyönyörű álmok ezután jönnek features the biggest guest list in the project’s long discography. More than 20 guest musicians appear on this album, including old friends from inside and outside the Hungarian metal scene. Martina Veronika Horváth — whose band The Answer Lies in the Black Void toured Europe with Thy Catafalque earlier in 2024 — duets with the tender brooding Gábor Dudás for a faithful rendition of “Lydiához”, a 1980 Sebő ensemble classic that sowed the seeds for Hungary’s roots revival.”That is a song that’s been with me and the rest of my generation ever since we were children”, Kátai says. Violins, cello, clarinet and other classical instruments add to the comforts of home. Before it drifts off high beyond the clouds, “Vakond” strings along like a whistling stroll across The Great Plains. “Alföld was very bleak”, he continues. “Adding classical and acoustic instruments helped add a spring of color and an air of adventure to these new songs”.Still, A gyönyörű álmok ezután jönnek can be a hard road — especially during its crushing middle section. Despite the gentle opening plucks, “Mindenevő” crashes down like a boulder, hurtling ahead at terrifying speed behind doomy operatic backing vocals, mechanized blast beats and the eerie fires of tremolo picking that forged Thy Catafalque’s debut Sublunary Tragedies. “This album still has plenty of metal”, Kátai assures.The heaviest moments are often grounded in Hungary’s history. While colored by nostalgia, XII is also shadowed by the ticking hands of time, a theme that ripples back to 2021’s Vadak. Blackened chugger “Vasgyár” shares a namesake with the rusted-out ironworks that once fueled the country’s economy. It’s not a political statement, but the song does reflect how the landscape has changed to the eye of the now 48-year-old Kátai.”Even the album’s visuals are from a bygone era”, he says. In the video for its title track, closing song and lead single, Kátai doesn’t just run through the streets of his hometown. Surreal scenes from the past and present linger along his winding path through the placid countryside. Watching his doppelgänger dig his own grave feels like a living nightmare. “‘This song comes from a place of desperation”, he says. “Within the afterglow of nostalgia, there’s also the chill of disappointment”.Ultimately, the progressive flair that has come to define Thy Catafalque shines through the darkness on album twelve. Only this time around, in order to reach the light at the end of the tunnel, Kátai needed some guidance. “I felt like the production had largely been the same since Geometria”, he admits. XII marks the first time in the project’s history that he worked with an outside producer. Granted, Gábor Vári is no stranger to how his mind works. When he’s not holed away in the studio with other prominent Hungarian metal bands, Gábor could be seen hammering away at his guitar on stage with Thy Catafalque on the live album Mezolit. “He was the perfect person to help give this album a somewhat different sound that is still familiar”.As a result, “A gyönyörű álmok ezután jönnek” stands out as one of Thy Catafalque’s biggest crowd pleasers, uplifted by hand claps and catchy, fist-pumping riffs. Even the dark waves of synth glow with the reassurance of the dawn. “At the end, there’s still hope for a future that might offer warmer days after the darkness has ceded”.Thy Catafalque’s twelfth album looks back longingly at the past, Tamás Kátai isn’t stopping to smell the roses. With A gyönyörű álmok ezután jönnek, he shows that the beautiful dreams are yet to come.
Recording Lineup:Tamás Kátai – Guitar, Bass, Vocals, Keyboards, Programming
Guest Musicians:Martina Veronika Horváth – Vocals on Track 1, 6
Ivett Dudás – Vocals on Track 8
Helga Kreiter – Vocals on Track 4, 10
Gábor Dudás – Vocals on Track 2, 5, 6, 10
Bálint Bokodi – Vocals on Track 2, 4, 9
Gábor Veres – Vocals on Track 3, 8
Attila Bakos – Vocals on Track 1
Zoltán Kónya – Vocals on Track 3
András Vörös – Vocals on Track 4
Breno Machado – Lead Guitar on Track 2
Zoltán Vigh – Lead Guitar on Track 3
Krisztián Varga – Lead Guitar on Track 4
Daniele Belli – Acoustic Guitar on Track 2
Miguel Velasquez Matija – Fretless Bass on Track 2, 6
Edu Giró – Oud, Bouzouki, Baglama on Track 2,7
Grigoris Mitropoulos – Bouzouki, Mpaglamas on Track 7
Sanja Smileska – Violin on Track 3
Jo Quail – Electric Cello on Track 8
Issar Shulman – Contrabass on Track 2
Cal Rustad – French Horn on Track 2, 8
Manuel Domenech – Cor Anglais on Track 8
Khachatrian Lernik – Clarinet on Track 2
Gergő Bille – Flugelhorn, Trumpet on Track 7
Joakim Toftgaard – Trombone, Trumpet on Track 7
Fabian Hernandez – Saxophone on Track 5
Viktória Varga – Narration on Track 3
Annamari Sánta – Narration on Track 7, 8
Recording:
Recorded in various countries: Hungary, United Kingdom, Romania, Ukraine, Italy, Spain, Greece, North Macedonia, Israel, U.S.A., Colombia, Brazil.
Producer & Sound Engineer:Tamás Kátai, Gábor Vári
Mixing & Mastering:Miracle Sound Szeged, Hungary.
Mixed and mastered by Gábor Vári
Artwork: Front cover by Dániel Szécsényi & Tamás KátaiIllustrations by Orsolya Pintér
Follow Thy Catafalque:
Website: https://thy-catafalque.hu
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/thycatafalque
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thy_catafalque
YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/user/kataitamas
Bandcamp: https://thycatafalque.bandcamp.com/
Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/artist/4sgTqbA7htxYkRRJBPZIom
Apple Music: https://music.apple.com/us/artist/thy-catafalque/372164196

Available Formats:
Digital Download
CD Mediabook (First Pressing Only) 
12″ Vinyl Gatefold – Black
12″ Coloured Vinyl Gatefold – Transparent Yellow & Black Marbled
12″ Coloured Vinyl Gatefold – Turquoise & Black Marbled
12″ Coloured Vinyl Gatefold – White w/ Gold Splatters

OCEANS OF SLUMBER Reimagine “The Given Dream” on New Single

The dark cinematic metal band’s new single defies any and all conventions
“One of modern metal’s brightest hopes” – Metal Hammer

Though revered by critics and peers, OCEANS OF SLUMBER bow to no one. For more than a decade, the Houston band have spurred prevailing trends in both the metal scene and the American South. Instead of adhering to conventional wisdom or slapping a new coat of paint on the same old ideas, they’ve remade the Southern Gothic in their own progressive image, casting tales of hope and despair against an ever-shifting backdrop of melodic death, doom and black metal.

While they’ve always been stars in their own right, Oceans of Slumber’s upcoming sixth album expands the band’s wide-ranging vision to the dark, cinematic heights of a Hollywood blockbuster. Where Gods Fear to Speak is in conversation with The Handmaid’s Tale and Cormac McCarthy more than it is Opeth. Their new single “The Given Dream” gives hope to the future of metal by breaking the spell that’s lorded over us by the powers that be.

Where Gods Fear to Speak comes out September 13 on Season of Mist.

➤ Pre-order & Pre-save:

​https://orcd.co/oceansofslumberwheregodsfeartospeakalbum

“The Given Dream” awakens with a familiar sense of dread. A dark, ominous synth blares over the speakers with the creeping suspense of an IMAX movie.

“We were watching a lot of dystopian sci-fi films and TV shows”, Dobber Beverly says about the inspiration behind Where Gods Fear to Speak. The underground will always recognize Dobber as the drummer for grindcore legends Insect Warfare, but he’s also a classically training pianist who composed every note on the album. “I had just bought a Le Gibet synthesizer” he continues. “Hearing the big stabbing synth lines that are in a lot of those soundtracks gave me the idea to open ‘The Given Dream’ as if an alarm was going off in the listener’s head”.

On the album’s first official single, Oceans of Slumber zoomed in on the doomed romance that’s at the center of Where Gods Fear to Speak. While it immediately follows “Poem of Ecstasy” on the track list, “The Given Dream” pans out to the big picture themes that were teased by its title track. “The cold and bitter taste / The wall in front of you / The stone with all your hopes”, belts the band’s leading lady Cammie Beverly, reaching down into the smoky pit of her soul.

“We’re pre-programmed with this dream of how our lives are supposed to turn out”, Dobber says. “The white picket fence. A career at the tech company down the road. Two and a half kids to go along with the ‘Live, Laugh, Love’ poster on your wall”.

“Buying into that idea will make you feel like you’re on the right track”, says Cammie. “When really, we’re just blinded. That dream doesn’t exist”.

The faraway glimmer of the song’s gorgeous piano melody is one of the most intoxicating lines on Where Gods Fear to Speak. “If you’re lucky enough to come from a higher standing, then maybe you do get to live out that fantasy”, Dobber says. He’s not blasting “The Given Dream” — at least, not on his kit. The song is afforded one of the sparest, most streamlined arrangements on the album. A thumping back beat sets a workmanlike pace, but the syncopated snare crumbles like hope through your fingers amidst a glitch of digital effects. “But if you’ve got to struggle, then it’s a lot harder just to survive”.

“You stare and you stare” Cammie belts, steeling herself between each word before she bangs her head back against the proverbial wall. She’s always possessed one of the strongest voices in metal, but on “The Given Dream”, it sounds like she’s fighting for air. “It’s still empty”.

In reality, Cammie did have to catch her breath in order to nail down “The Given Dream”. Oceans of Slumber recorded Where Gods Fear to Speak in Bogotá, Colombia, which is a cool 8,000 feet above sea level. “‘This is one of the most tiring songs to sing on the album”, she explains. “I’m belting from the beginning”. When the bottom finally does drop out and the song sinks into a bridge that’s as quiet and full of shadows as the ocean floor, it only seems like she’s taking a breather. “Going from a belt to soprano back to a belt is not a break” she says with a knowing smile. “Singing soprano takes more breath than singing mid-range or alto. You have to hold your vocal cords tight”.

Just like the myth of suburbia, the music industry doesn’t always live up to its own hype. Heck, even a genre that’s as hellbent on setting fire to the status quo as extreme metal is no angel when it comes to favoring style over substance. With six albums and a decade of touring under their belt, Oceans of Slumber have nothing left that they need to prove, but the band’s unwavering authenticity continues to set them apart. All ten songs on Where Gods Fear to Speak were tracked live with GRAMMY-nominated producer Joel Hamilton. Even the digital drum loops on “The Given Dream” were hammered out by hand.

“I played those loops myself in real time, all one take” Dobber says. “I actually like Portishead, Sneaker Pimps and all those other trip-hop bands from the ’90s. With this song, I wanted to remake that dub style with a big heavy part at the end”.

If their haunting reflection on “Wicked Game” is the chilling end credits to Where Gods Fear to Speak, then “The Given Dream” is one of its many climactic turning points. When the riffs finally come crashing down during the song’s grand finale, it’s with all the gloom and doom of a raging tempest. “I return to the dust I’ve known / The circle, the sky / The earth I’ve called home”, Cammie sings with all her might. With this much force, Oceans of Slumber sound like they’re ready to tear down the walls and show us into the light.

To celebrate the release of Where Gods Fear to Speak, Oceans of Slumber are saddling up with their fellow Houston heavies in Necrofier for a fiery performance at Metal Injection Festival.

“We are thrilled to celebrate Metal Injection’s 20th anniversary at this year’s festival”, says Cammie. “We’ll be sharing the stage with amazing bands like Jinjer, Converge, God Forbid, 3 Inches of Blood, Hanabie, Cave In, Rivers of Nihil and our good friends in Necrofier. We can’t wait to rock out with you and hit the streets of New York City”.

Metal Injection Festival
Sunday, September 22 – Brooklyn, NY @ Brooklyn Monarch & Meadows [TICKETS]

Tracklist
1. Where Gods Fear to Speak (6:25) [WATCH]
2. Run From the Light (5:15)
3. Don’t Come Back From Hell Empty Handed (8:28)
4. Wish (3:53)
5. Poem of Ecstasy (6:33) [WATCH]
6. The Given Dream (3:36) [LISTEN]
7. I Will Break the Pride of Your Will (5:27)
8. Prayer (5:03)
9. The Impermanence of Fate (6:20)
10. Wicked Game (5:26) [LISTEN]

More praise for Oceans of Slumber

“A band that nails a unique balance and has the potential to do whatever they want” – Angry Metal Guy (4/5) 

“Masterful compositions that reveal more secrets with each listen” – Metal Injection (9/10)

“Dark, turbulent, and above all, incredibly emotional” – New Noise (4/5)

“They are the new Southern gothic, and you need to pay attention” – Distorted Sound (9/10)

“This band is truly something special” – Ghost Cult (8/10)

More than a decade has passed since the release of Oceans of Slumber’s Aetherial debut album, and a lot has changed. After recruiting Cammie Gilbert (now Beverly) in 2014, the Houston, Texas crew’s trajectory took a natural, upward tilt, fueled by the hugely positive response received by second album, Winter (2016). Masters of dark-hearted brutality and gritty, melancholic song craft, Oceans of Slumber transcended the usual genre limitations, favoring a progressive and boundary-less approach. With each successive record, the combination of founder, drummer, pianist and chief songwriter Dobber Beverly’s brooding, dynamic onslaughts with Cammie’s charismatic presence and elegant, sonorous vocals garnered widespread acclaim and an international fan base. Monuments to a restless creative spirit, the band’s third and fourth albums, The Banished Heart (2018) and Oceans of Slumber (2020) raised the stakes ever higher.

Nobody said it was going to be easy, however. Buoyed by the praise of critics and the love of increasingly rabid admirers, Oceans of Slumber proved true to their progressive reputation when they released fifth full-length Starlight & Ash in 2022. Although still palpably drawn from the same well of dark and daring influences that had informed previous records, the new songs were pointedly bereft of the crushing metal tropes and elaborate song structures of old. Instead, Oceans of Slumber stripped things to an ornate and earthy take on gothically-inclined songwriting and melancholy modern prog. Starlight & Ash was praised in metal and prog media, but drew the ire of the band’s big label paymasters, who were rather unimaginatively hoping for more of the same. Reaching an impasse, band and label parted ways, leading to Oceans of Slumber’s newly-forged relationship with the notoriously open-minded Season of Mist. Now armed with a brand new studio album, Where Gods Fear To Speak, these intuitive radicals have gone where they will be understood.

“The thing is, we never said we’re never going to do something heavy again,” shrugs Cammie. “People panic when a band puts out an album that does something different. It was a weird time. It came during a time when our music was different from everything else, and I think the record was a bit lost on some people – people that mattered in our realm. The fans got it, and it was received really well, just not by the label!”

“Starlight should’ve been an easier way for us to branch out to a different audience,” adds Dobber. “But the label didn’t care and we didn’t try to capitalize on it. With Where Gods Fear To Speak, every time you make a new record, you think it’s the best, but there’s a couple of songs on this record that are definitely the best songs we’ve ever written, easily. There’s an energy to them that’s palpable. It sounds like an energetic, pissed-off band, with enigmatic storytelling and all those magical things.”

Recorded in Bogota, Colombia, in 2023, Where Gods Fear To Speak is a multi-faceted entry into Oceans of Slumber’s burgeoning legacy. Many of the melodic and textural elements that made Starlight & Ash such a revelation are still present, but scabrous brutality and complex, cultured arrangements are back with a vengeance. With Cammie’s astonishing vocal blend of vulnerability and abominable power, these songs are the best possible showcase for a band on an unerring mission to win the world over.

“I think Cammie is the best singer in America by far, but if she’s at such a top level and we still can’t break through, that just means that if we want to stay where we are, we’ve got to work harder!” Dobber admits, candidly. “We know how good we are, and how good the music is, but it doesn’t pay off for us all the time and the new record reflects that. It’s aggressive, it’s aggravated, but it tells a story. The closing song, “Impermanence Of Fate” – that’s the tag. It means that what you have it isn’t a fatal flaw or a mortal wound, and you can change things and work around these setbacks. So a lot of this record is fight songs.”

A colossus in both conception and execution, Where Gods Fear To Speak eschews the usual modern metal sounds in favor of an overwhelming, wall-of-sound production. As songs like the thunderous title track and the grim and sprawling “Don’t Come Back From Hell Empty Handed” cast their meandering, malevolent spells, every instrument leaps out with laser-like clarity, and the vast, emotional heft underpinning Dobber and Cammie’s lyrics is brought rivetingly to the fore. Meanwhile, standout gems like “The Given Dream” and “Poem of Ecstasy” showcase Oceans of Slumber’s still-evolving core sound, with soaring melodies and jaw-dropping dynamics that casually blur the boundary between the accessible and the avant-garde, while basking in the brooding glow of Cammie’s unique voice. Produced in collaboration with esteemed studio guru Joel Hamilton at Audovision Studios in Bogota, it emerges as a self-evident labor of love for all of those involved.

“We did the most extensive pre-production demoing that we’ve ever done for this record. Everything was finished, the vocal lines were 98% done in advance,” Dobber notes. “Then we got into the studio and I threw curveballs at Cammie to piss her off and get her to land these certain vocal sections. There has to be some element of this that is created in the moment. It’s not magical otherwise. I did all the synthesizers and orchestrations at home, but then we recorded the rest of it at the studio in Colombia. Joel’s done a lot of work with big hitters, but also with Neurosis and bands like Sleepytime Gorilla Museum. So when I said we were going to make a heavy record, I wanted it to sound like all hell’s breaking loose. We wanted a very natural production and for everything to be as organic as it could be.”

From the doom-laden opening chords of “Where  Gods Fear To Speak” – released as the album’s first preview single, and revealing Cammie’s feral death growls for the first time – to the dying, desolate embers of grand finale “Impermanence Of Fate”, the new Oceans of Slumber album is simply the most immersive and fascinating piece of work the band have made. As added intrigue, guest stars Mikael Stanne of Swedish melo-death legends Dark Tranquillity, and Moonspell’s iconic frontman Fernando Ribeiro lend their vocal talents to “Run From The Light” and “Prayer” respectively. Steeped in the oppressive atmospheres of doom, death and gothic metal, but rendered using a spinning kaleidoscope of progressive musical shades, Where The Gods Fear To Speak idly defies categorization, while strenuously redefining the artistic formula that Oceans of Slumber have spent so many years refining. Meanwhile, these songs paint such vivid pictures that it comes as little surprise that Where Gods Fear to Speak is a certified concept work, with a cinematic streak a mile wide.

“This album is a dystopian western or a post-apocalyptic survival movie, somewhere between The Handmaid’s Tale, The Dark Tower and Cormac McCarthy,” states Dobber. “The whole idea is that Where The Gods Fear To Speak is a movie, and we’ve written the soundtrack. If the world was taken over, like in movie The Book Of Eli, and Gary Oldman had found the Bible and the true power of it, and he was wielding the power of the lord over everybody, those people that were maybe just into their traditional spiritualism or people that were not religious at all, they would be the defectors, so the record is written from the viewpoint of the defectors. The ending credits are our version of “Wicked Game” by Chris Isaak. We wanted to take it back to when the music in movies set the tone for everything.”

Wildly evocative and bulging under the weight of its countless razor-sharp melodies, Where Gods Fear To Speak proves that Oceans of Slumber will not let the occasional setback put them off their creative stride. Both the heaviest and the most sophisticated record they have made yet, it covers all bases to deliver an emotional, life-affirming musical journey like no other. Some people will love it. Others may not. But what is abundantly clear is that Oceans of Slumber remain a formidable force to be reckoned with, and When Gods Fear To Speak may be their masterpiece.

“We just hope to grow the band. We’ve had a problem with reaching the next level, but I’m hoping this record makes the difference, and people just give us a shot,” Dobber concludes. “The band is great and it’s tight, and Cammie is such a great performer. When people really get to see the real thing in front of them, which they don’t a lot of the time, it just works, intrinsically. There’s just a natural response to it. So if we can get in front of the audiences we should, then we’ll win them over and the band will grow. That’s all we want. It’s a mechanism for survival at this point.”
Lineup
Cammie Beverly – vocals
Dobber Beverly- drums, piano
Semir Ozerkan – bass
Alex Davis – guitar
Chris Kritikos – guitar, synth

Recording
Audiovision Studios in Bogotá, Columbia
Assistant engineering at Audiovision by Deyra Castillo and David Dueñas Piña

Production
Produced and engineered by Joel Hamilton
Mixed by Joel Hamilton at Studio G in Brooklyn, New York
Additional engineering by Chris Kritikos
Assistant engineering by Justin Termotto

Artwork
Giannis Nakos – Remedy Art Design

Biography:
Dom Lawson

Follow Oceans of Slumber:
Website: https://oceansofslumber.com/
Bandcamp: https://oceansofslumber.bandcamp.com
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/oceansofslumber/
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/oceansofslumber/
YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/user/oceansofslumber
Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/artist/2JSza6IRxLr1Ez3wqKd0SY

Pre-order & Pre-save:

​https://orcd.co/oceansofslumberwheregodsfeartospeakalbum

Available Formats:
Digital Download
CD Digipack
2X12″ Vinyl Gatefold (Black)
2X12″ Vinyl Gatefold (Translucent Red)
2X12″ Vinyl Gatefold (Translucent Clear)
2X12″ Vinyl Gatefold (Orange with Black Splatter)
2X12″ Vinyl Gatefold (Translucent Orange)
2X12″ Vinyl Gatefold (Color-In-Color Translucent Orange)
2X12″ Vinyl Gatefold (Color-In-Color Translucent Red)

ALUK TODOLO set release date for new NOEVDIA / AJNA album

On September 6th internationally, the alliance of NoEvDia and The Ajna Offensive is proud to present Aluk Todolo‘s highly anticipated fifth album, LUX.

Aluk Todolo returned to the studio during July 2023 to record their fifth album, entitled LUX, coming out eight years after their last opus, VOIX.

The LUX configuration has been received, decomposed, recomposed, sequenced, reversed, and is eventually revealed through six tracks of mesmerizing occult rock music.

Prismatic drum patterns entwined to gyrating bass lines and kaleidoscopic guitar ostinatos embodies in matter the numinous shimmers of light in extension.

An equation of Sacred Geometry solved and dissolved in mystery by illumination.

The tapes have been magnetized at Kerwax Analog Recording Studios in the western reaches of France.

LUX was recorded, mixed & mastered, and cut & pressed using analog technology exclusively. 

In the meantime, see a full-length multi-cam recording here:

 Aluk Todolo‘s performance at last year’s Rock in Bourlon fest, where LUX material was unveiled for the first time. Cover and tracklisting are as follows:

Tracklisting for Aluk Todolo’s LUX
1. ●●• [3:56]
2. ••●●••••●●•●● [9:37]
3. ●●•●●•• [6:20]
4. ••●●••• [6:07]
5. ●●•●●••••●●•• [6:15]
6. ••● [6:38]

MORE INFO:
www.amortout.com/aluktodolo
aluktodolo.bandcamp.com
www.facebook.com/aluktodoloofficial

www.noevdia.com

www.theajnaoffensive.com
www.facebook.com/theajnaoffensive

AETHRYICK set release date for new EAL album, reveal first track

On September 13th internationally, EAL Productions is proud to present Aethyrick‘s highly anticipated fifth album, Death is Absent.

Aethyrick‘s longstanding partnership with The Sinister Flame ended when the label closed its doors for good. However, the flow of inspiration could not be halted, and the fervent work on the new album continued in the shadows. By the summer of 2024, the process was complete, and the duo found a new home abroad under the banner of EAL Productions.

Musically, Death is Absent builds on Aethyrick‘s signature style, pushing it further while occasionally increasing the tempo. Rooted in the melodic and atmospheric side of mid ’90s black metal, their music evokes a time when the genre first captured their imaginations. They craft a soundscape that is both familiar and fresh, embodying the mysteries of the existential nightside.

Revelations within both the sacred circle and the dreamlike realms have infused this offering with deep emotion, draped in the regal mantle of Finnish black metal. The lyrics acknowledge and honor the Reaper’s role as the extinguisher of mortal life, yet deny his authority over the flames of eternal faith.

Paths come to an end. Voices fall silent. Hearts cease to beat. But the song of Spirit continues, and thus, death is truly absent.

In the meantime, hear the brand-new track “Beyond All Death” here:

Cover and tracklisting is as follows:

Tracklisting for Aethyrick’s Death is Absent
1. The Fire that Sires the Sun [8:07]
2. Empyrean Silver [6:59]
3. Beyond All Death [5:27]
4. Midwinter Masks [5:59]
5. The Hands of Fate [8:15]
6. Only Junipers Grow on My Grave [7:59]

MORE INFO:
www.aethyrick.com 

EAL Productions is distributed via NoEvDia

www.noevdia.com

EIHWAR Sound the War Drums on “Berserk (Viking War Trance Reforged)” 🥁

Drape yourself in the fury that only the gods of chaos could inspire because EIHWAR is about to blow your mind with their explosive re-imagined fan-favorite track, Berserkr (Viking War Trance Reforged). Straight out of Valhalla, this track is a relentless juggernaut that’s gonna have your blood pumping hotter than Thor’s hammer on a bad day.

Mark and Asrunn harnessed the unholy matrimony of ancient gods and techno rage to birth EIHWAR‘s debut album, Viking War Trance. If you’ve ever wondered what it’d feel like to be in a berserker rave under the Northern Lights, high-fiving Fenrir himself, this beast of a track gives you that raucous thrill without an ounce of mercy.

Grab your battle axes and brace yourselves because with this single comes an anarchic, electrifying live video. Mark and Asrunn, stripped raw and soaked in sweat, will take you on a journey straight from the heart of their primal rave temple. This band is truly something to be experience with a pint of the finest mead, chanting your heart out.

Watch the live video for Berserk(Viking War Trance Reforged) here:

Viking War Trance is out September 20 on Season of Mist.

ᛟ Pre-order & Pre-save: https://orcd.co/eihwarvikingwartrance

Tracklist
1. Viking War Trance (4:30) [WATCH]
2. Ragnarök (Viking War Trance Reforged) (7:10)
3. Völva’s Chant (4:05) [WATCH]
4. Geri And Freki (4:21)
5. Baldr (4:08)
6. Fenrir (Viking War Trance Reforged) (5:13)
7. Berserkr (Viking War Trance Reforged) (4:04) [WATCH]
8. Mjölnir (5:25)
9. Sir Mannelig (1:54)
Total runtime: 40:54

Many bands have explored the Pagan & Norse worlds over the last 15 years seeking atmospheric, acoustic and ritual sounds with great seriousness. This is not the path EIHWAR chose.

Although the musicians of Eihwar are virtuosos in their acoustic traditional instruments, their goal is to bring some fun… and as much chaos as possible during their concerts, provoking the craziest trance on dancefloors. They bring a festive and furious neo-viking music whose primal force is based on technoid machines, mixed with trance vocals, shamanic drums and traditional Nordic sounds. Electronics are a ‘new steel’ for those modern warriors, cold and powerful. As the web already says, the duo is a kind of new ‘Viking Carpenter Brut’.

Thus, Eihwar named the single, the album but also their style of music ‘Viking War Trance’.

“We are heavy drops of rain announcing lightning.
We call for war:  
A war waged against our judgments,  
Our inner demons, our limits,  
Our stiffness of body and mind.  
We don’t want our best enemies to spare us  
Nor to be spared by those we love.  
We invoke a war for our thoughts,  
A flamboyant chaos of fire & ice,  
Cradle of creation.”

Since its appearance on YouTube in February 2023, Eihwar has shook the Internet and concert venues. The band experienced rapid expansion on YouTube and was quickly booked by major European festivals such as Hellfest, Leyendas del Rock, Wave Gotik Treffen & more to be announced!

Line-up
Asrunn: Vocals, Traditional Percussions
Mark – Vocals, Machines

Recording credits are being kept anonymous intentionally

Biography
Eihwar

Cover Art
Asrunn

Pre-order & Pre-save:https://orcd.co/eihwarvikingwartrance

Links:
Website: http://www.eihwar.com
Bandcamp: https://eihwar.bandcamp.com
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/eihwar.music
Instagram: http://www.instagram.com/eihwar.music
YouTube: http://www.youtube.com/@eihwar
TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@eihwar
Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/artist/2VFxoCJQPfQauZujESPjQK
Deezer: https://www.deezer.com/us/artist/224131655
TIDAL: https://tidal.com/browse/artist/41105436

Available Formats:
Digital Download
CD Digipak
12″ Vinyl Gatefold – Black
12″ Coloured Vinyl Gatefold – Red & Black Marbled

INVERNOIR set release date for new CODE666 album

On September 27th in Europe (October 4th for North America / rest of the world), code666 is proud to present Invernoir‘s highly anticipated second album, Aimin’ For Oblivion.

Formed in 2016 by members of Rome’s flourishing local scene, Invernoir have shown a special talent right from the beginning with their striking debut EP, 2018’s Mourn, combining the cherished atmospheres of ’90s British doom with the more recent Scandinavian scene, managing the difficult feat of not sounding derivative at all. With their debut album in 2020, The Void and the Unbearable Loss, Invernoir received enthusiastic reviews from all over the world, building a loyal fanbase eagerly awaiting their new album, titled Aimin’ for Oblivion, for cult label code666.

Invernoir literally bring back to life the best ’90s gothic doom with this stellar new album. Aimin’ for Oblivion comprises seven tracks that will make dark metal hearts bleed with that irresistible balance between light and shadows. Invernoir‘s Aimin’ for Oblivion is unmissable for fans of old-school Anathema, Katatonia, and My Dying Bride.

First track to be revealed on August 30th. Cover and tracklisting are as follows:

Tracklisting for Invernoir’s Aimin’ for Oblivion
1. Shadow Slave [6:20]
2. Doomed [5:29]
3. Desperate Days [4:50]
4. Forgotten in Time [6:02]
5. Broken [5:16]
6. Few Minutes [7:12]
7. Unworthy [6:06]
8. Useless [6:31]

MORE INFO:
www.facebook.com/invernoir 

www.code666.net 
www.facebook.com/code666.label 

HÄXENZIJRKELL set release date for new AMOR FATI album, reveal first track

Today, Amor Fati Productions announces October 4th as the international release date for Häxenzijrkell‘s highly anticipated third album, Portal, on CD and vinyl LP formats.

Ever since the release of their first demo tape back in 2016, Häxenzijrkell marched on their very own path towards the bottomless pit of darkness. However, it was the band’s two albums for Amor Fati – 2020’s Die Nachtseite and 2022’s Urgrund – where that bottomless pit dropped out completely. What opened up was a maw both majestic and horrific, ritualistic and ceremonial but by no means sound without purpose and intent. That each of those two albums were divided into three epic tracks was perhaps not coincidence; that one album was suffocating and the other more spacious was definitely not coincidence. From resolutely raw black metal in the beginning to something idiosyncratic and strangely spectral despite the obvious heft, Häxenzijrkell were skillfully creating their own soundworld with few present analogues.

And so it goes with the aptly titled Portal, where Häxenzijrkell bring past, present, and future into startling (dis)harmony. The album begins attackingly enough, a metronomic pendulum pulsing beyond control, riffs slicing and spiraling in an infinite vortex. But now expanded to five tracks across 44 minutes, Häxenzijrkell‘s third album reveals yet more depth – in all senses of the word – and becomes the fullest manifestation of their still-expanding lexicon. The watchword here is patience, as these five non-less-epic tracks are never in any hurry to reveal their true selves; tension and terror build s-l-o-w-l-y, even if the overall tempo is decidedly more energetic than past works, or at least more measured and insistent. Here expanded to a trio, Häxenzijrkell have also found a symbiosis between atmosphere and songcraft; even when riff and rhythm drop away and there’s (tense / terrifying) quietude lingering like a spectre, the usage feels dramatic and effortlessly transitional, marking a moment that’s integral to the flow of each mesmerizing movement. That that expanded lineup expertly uses both molten heaviness and shimmering ambience equally well should speak volumes about the band’s growth on Portal. All this culminates in the grandiose and hauntingly gorgeous closer, “Aeon,” which sounds like a lunar eclipse and a solar eclipse – simultaneously.

The keys are thus laid at the listener’s feet…do what thou wilt. To commemorate the release of Portal, Häxenzijrkell will embark upon a European tour with labelmates Nubivagant (dates after the jump). 

In the meantime, hear the brand-new track “Atziluth” here:

Cover and tracklisting are as follows:

Tracklisting for Häxenzijrkell’s Portal

1. Atziluth [6:27]
2. Beriah [7:29]
3. Yetzirah [6:10]
4. Assiah [9:46]
5. Aeon [13:12]

MORE INFO:
www.facebook.com/haexenzijrkell 

www.amor-fati-productions.de 
www.amorfatiproductions.bandcamp.com
www.facebook.com/amorfatiprod

VAFURLOGI set release date for NOEVDIA / ORATION debut – features members of SINMARA, SVARTIDAUÐI+++

On September 13th internationally, the alliance of NoEvDia and Oration Records is proud to present Vafurlogi‘s striking debut album, Í vökulli áþján.

Vafurlogi is rooted both spiritually and literally in the early 2000s black metal movement, as the earliest songs were written nearly 20 years ago. Like the stalwarts of that era, Vafurlogi draws inspiration not only from the staunch traditionalism of the ’90s but also from its rebellious spirit of discovery and creation.

Fronted by guitarist Þórir Garðarsson of Sinmara and Svartidauði, who now also takes on vocal and bass duties,  Vafurlogi presents a new chapter for him as a songwriter. Throughout years of activity with his other bands, the essence of Vafurlogi slowly cultivated in parallel below the surface. Initially a vessel for accumulated works not suitable for Svartidauði or Sinmara, Vafurlogi developed into an avenue for him to freely explore different creative ideas and moods. While touching on the apocalyptic, nightmarish realms of Svartidauði and the haunting atmospherics of Sinmara, Vafurlogi places greater emphasis on triumphant and unabashedly melodic flourishes through a comparatively stripped-down compositional approach.

Full stream to be revealed on the day of release. Cover artwork, courtesy of View From The Coffin, and tracklisting are as follows:

Tracklisting for Vafurlogi’s Í vökulli áþján
1. Reikul Vofa
2. Viðjar Holdsins
3. Helgrindur
4. Dreyrrauði
5. Hvíldarsálmur
6. Iðrun Og Ótti
7. Úr Iðramyrkri
8. Duftið Eitt

MORE INFO:
www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=61561034315803

www.noevdia.com

www.orationrecords.com 

HORNA set release date for new W.T.C. album, reveal first video

On September 13th, W.T.C.Productions is proud to present Horna‘s highly anticipated 11th album, Nyx – Hymnejä Yölle, on CD, vinyl LP, and cassette tape formats.

Horna need no introduction. Formed in 1994 when they were but teenagers, the band soon began creating a vast, prolific catalog – and, since the early 2000s, began asserting considerable influence over the black metal underground both in their native Finland and abroad. And while there are three distinct eras of Horna – the Nazgul-fronted version during the late ’90s to early 2000s, then the feverish Corvus-fronted years from 2003 to 2009, and finally, the Spellgoth-fronted lineup that began the 2010s and which has seen a few lineup shifts but has patiently parceled out recordings ever since – stellar songwriting and impassioned playing have always been their hallmarks. Their sound may’ve undergone subtle shifts of texture throughout those many years, but Horna‘s vision of unapologetic BLACK METAL has never faltered: proud and pure, familiar yet unique, and undeniably eerie and emotive.

Fitting for their 30th anniversary, Horna now unveil a new full-length that bridges past, present, and future: Nyx – Hymnejä Yölle. While the preceding Kuoleman Kirjo challenged with its sheer length – then again, so did 1999’s classic Haudankylmyyden Mailla, which retroactively wielded influence on that album and this next one – it nevertheless comprised 13 mostly-compact rippers emblematic of the Spellgoth era: nightsky melodicism conjured forth by founding guitarist Shatraug and longstanding six-string foil Infection, with the new rhythm section of drummer LRH and bassist VnoM creating blistering speed that was somehow swinging. That lineup carries forward to Nyx, and largely does that songwriting schematic. But whereas its predecessor touched upon a moodier aspect, on Nyx do Horna expand upon that in conjunction with longer tracks; six songs in 44 minutes should be easy math for most people. However, the album’s structure is unique in that the first five tracks are Roman numeral variations of “Hymni,” and thus fit a framework of crisp, mystical black metal both nostalgically ancient yet somehow surprisingly “modern.” Then comes “Kuoleva Lupaus,” which features former bassist (and currently Kryptamok mainman) Hex Inferi. Solemn and stripped back unlike anything else in their extremely deep discography, this nine-minute closer is essentially neofolk, but unmistakably done the Horna way. A haunting end to a majestic catharsis…

Of especial note is the production across Nyx: arguably the “cleanest” production Horna have yet had, it only heightens said mysticism and adds a palatable sheen to these raging wraiths of song – the latent emotion brought to a boil, the hypnotism pulling heartstrings in magickal collusion. It speaks to the strength of their songwriting, once again, which somehow manages to become ever more focused yet varied as time marches on. And although nods to the Nazgul era are noticeable – the Corvus era stands cold ‘n’ alone in its righteous, ragged filth – this synthesis of peak performance and professionalism with spectral songwriting becomes its own new “era,” in effect. Or, simply, it’s Horna. Their legendry continues to be written…

In the meantime, see & hear the brand-new video “Hymni I” here:

Cover artwork, courtesy of Dhomth, and tracklisting are as follows:

Tracklisting for Horna’s Nyx – Hymnejä Yölle
1. Hymni I [8:46]
2. Hymni II [7:46]
3. Hymni III [6:08]
4. Hymni IV [7:32]
5. Hymni V [5:00]
6. Kuovela Lupaus [8:46]

MORE INFO:
www.facebook.com/hornablackmetal 

www.w-t-c.orgwww.facebook.com/W.T.C.Productions

NUBIVAGANT set release date for new AMOR FATI album, reveal first track – features members of DARVAZA, FROSTMOON ECLIPSE, CHAOS INVOCATION+++

Today, Amor Fati Productions announces October 4th as the international release date for Nubivagant‘s highly anticipated third album, The Blame Dagger, on CD and vinyl LP formats.

Black metal both traditional and transcendental – such is the mark of Nubivagant. Omega, the multi-instrumentalist behind the band, possesses the collective experience of over three decades in the black metal scene; he concurrently helms the well-respected Darvaza and plays drums Frostmoon Eclipse and Chaos Invocation, among many others in the past. However, with Nubivagant does he walk a unique path that takes a cleaner-toned timbre both in strings and voice, resulting in two equally awe-inspiring albums, 2020’s Roaring Eye and 2022’s The Wheel and the Universe. Once again under the auspices of Amor Fati, Omega delivers a new treatise on hypnotic sonic levitation: Nubivagant‘s The Blame Dagger.

The band’s first two records exhibited textures that could be qualified as calming, if not without a certain sturm und drang one finds when contemplating the ocean. Here on The Blame Dagger, Nubivagant bares open his soul once again, but in a manner much darker, both on the surface and well below it, and altogether in rougher fashion. One could call the songwriting “minimal is maximal” or simply primitive, but the sum effect is psychedelic to the extreme: one (BIG) idea is employed and then pushed further and further with subtle twists of nuance, the repetition resulting in mesmerizing movement that somehow evaporates time. Compared to its two predecessors, the tones utilized here seethe with tension and unease, if not somehow strangely soothing due to that ever-enveloping schematic; dirt and grit still coat everything, more so than ever. Likewise is Omega’s voice smoother yet darker, sounding less like a lost deathrock spectre of the first two LPs and more like an immortal prophet of doom perched upon a cliff overlooking said sea. Some might even qualify that as “doom” in terms of the metal subgenre, and they would not be totally incorrect; still, Omega’s wordplay and tastefully curious note choices put Nubivagant further into their own unique category. But with that (MESMERIZING) movement manifesting itself in an almost-relaxed way – again, almost doom in the very liberal sense – the ripples of emotion coursing through The Blame Dagger suggest resignation, a soul in sore need of rest, anxiously mindful of a dawn too dark to contemplate.

“Outsider black metal,” then, but without being mawkish or cloying: Nubivagant have completed a near-perfect trifecta of personal, poignant art no matter the nomenclature. To commemorate the release of The Blame Dagger, the band will embark upon a European tour with labelmates Häxenzijrkell (dates after the jump). 

In the meantime, hear the brand-new track “Darkness Upon the Face of the Deep” here:

Cover and tracklisting are as follows:

Tracklisting for Nubivigant’s The Blame Dagger

1. Darkness Upon The Face Of The Deep [6:40]
2. Endless Mourning [6:17]
3. A Perfect Throne [5:38]
4. Who Made The World [7:28]
5. The Voice Of A Black Candle [4:32]
6. The Judgement [7:21]

MORE INFO:
www.facebook.com/nubivigant.blackmetal

www.amor-fati-productions.de 
www.amorfatiproductions.bandcamp.com
www.facebook.com/amorfatiprod