US black metal band UADA dropa brand new lyric video for “Retraversing the Void”, the first track from the upcoming fourth album. Watch it here:
Ever since the cloaked Pacific Northwest band appeared on the music radar, UADA has always been electrified by both polar worlds. Their echelon was stark and meaningful. Within the stretch of 3 albums as well as dense and triumphant live shows across the globe, they have not only spiked the map of extreme metal music, but their unrelenting touring schedule an unbridled will to push forward into new horizons has also earned them a reception in all the extremes imaginable, be it worship or spite.
5 sonic vessels form the nucleus of ‘Crepuscule Natura’, and within it`s 41 minutes, the record easily creates a sonic and aesthetic bridge between the band`s debut, ‘Devoid of Light’ (2016), and their sophomore effort ‘Cult of a Dying Sun’ (2018), only to forge onward upon the relentless path set forth with ‘Djinn’ (2020). Here, a more refined and muscular, yet no less melodic stronghold awaits. On ‘Crepuscule Natura’, UADA provides all their emorable hooks, tasteful leads, and riding blasts in their distinct style, balancing their epic surging melodies with powerful spurts of aggression. Just like the band’s smoke-heavy shows, the momentum and emphasis of their craft always stays grandiose, mythical, and triumphant – all the while making sure to birth a couple of new fan favorites and soon-to-be staple live songs.
‘Crepuscule Natura’, once again graced by the artwork of legendary Kris Verwimp and photography by Peter Beste, shows UADA on fire to unleash the marrow of black heavy metal.
Tracklisting: 01. The Abyss Gazing Back (07’50) 02. Crepuscule Natura (06’38) 03. The Dark (Winter) (07’31) 04. Retraversing the Void (07’44) 05. Through the Wax and Through the Wane (12’03)
Symphonic black metal legends Ceremonial Castings reveal a new re-recording of the old track “The Devil in Salem.“ The track is the third to be revealed from the band’s special re-recording of lost classic Salem 1692 – hereby titled Salem 1692 (MMXX) – which is set for North American release on November 27th via Eisenwald on CD, cassette, and vinyl LP formats. Hear the re-recording of Ceremonial Castings‘ “The Devil in Salem” here
Formed in that fateful year of 1996, Ceremonial Castings were a band of the times, a band later behind the times, and now a band ahead of the times once again. Many will belatedly be aware of the name Ceremonial Castings due to the membership of future UADA founder Jake Superchi, alongside his brother Nick Superchi, who were later (and once again now) joined by drummer Matt Mattern. The band crafted a canon of symphonic black metal that was admirably ambitious and often brilliant but all too often overlooked. Until their eventual demise in 2014, Ceremonial Castings created nine full-lengths and just as many demos/EPs that were all released on their own label. Their album covers were often graced with artwork courtesy of the masterful Kris Verwimp, who also created the band’s logo.
Of these, it’s arguably 2008’s Salem 1692 which is the most beloved of all Ceremonial Castings recordings and the one which is most emblematic of the band’s “Bewitching Black Metal.” By this point, the band’s albums were easily topping an hour-plus in length, as their songwriting had become more ambitious as well as their lyrical themes in kind. Salem 1692 is distinct in this regard in that the lyrical theme directly ties into the Superchi brothers’ family history. As Jake explains, “Since the beginning of this band in 1996, this was the album we always wanted to make, as we have a deep tie to the events in Salem of 1692. Growing up just west of Salem, my brother Nick and I learned all about the events at a very young age, including that we are in fact direct descendants – however many great grandsons – of Judge John Hathorne, who had sentenced the witches to hang. It is said that one of the girls who was hung had cast a curse on our family’s bloodline.”
While it is still unclear whether Ceremonial Castings have officially returned from the grave, this new re-recording of Salem 1692 (MMXX) sounds exceptionally fresh, richly detailed, and fully conveys the mysticism so crucial to their aesthetic. It’s as immersive as ever, if not more so due to the richly kaleidoscopic sound – organic, analog, but not once sacrificing any of the otherworldliness which endeared Ceremonial Castings to so many. And now, in 2020, as more ancient and classicist styles of black metal take hold with a new generation, “”symphonic black metal” need no longer be a dirty word: this re-recording of Salem 1692(MMXX) is poignant proof of the subgenre’s inherent power to transport the listener to forgotten realms and dimensions far, far away from modernity.
“This is a record that holds a lot of mystical energy showcased within its eleven hymns, as they seamlessly weave and flow together as one harmonious entity,” explains Veiled founder and UADA bassist Nate Verschoor. “Taking into consideration the concept of the album, it’s as if the songs themselves were twisted into form to act as spells and incantations. I say this because the moment the album begins, a presence is immediately felt, and the journey into a time long ago begins to take shape.”
“With the turn of a new decade,” concludes Jake, “we who would be sentenced to hang by our own ancestor, felt that not only did this represent our craft best to reintroduce ourselves, but we also would like to remind the world in 2020 of where a witch-hunt can and will lead if not careful with unwise accusations. We are here to show that American black metal does have a history that is tied to a very dark and cruel past. We are here to turn the focus around upon those who would condemn us for who and what we are. This album is for all who still believe in the old ways and who understand the true nature of magick. Together, let us reverse the curse.”
In the meantime, hear the newly revealed re-recording of “The Devil in Salem” across all major digital platforms HERE. Also hear the previously revealed re-recording of “Obsidian Spells of Hysteria” across all major digital platforms HERE, as well as the previously revealed re-recorded version of “Damned Be Those of the Craft” across all major digital platforms HERE. Preorder info can be found HERE.
Cover art, courtesy of Kris Verwimp, and tracklisting are as follows:
Tracklisting for Ceremonial Castings’ Salem 1692 (MMXX) 1. Beneath the Sabbath Moon [9:17] 2. Where the Witches Waltz [5:36] 3. The Devil in Salem [9:21] 4. Obsidian Spells of Hysteria [6:48] 5. The Dreamstalk Masquerade [4:09] 6. The Crucible & the Cross [7:38] 7. Damned Be Those of the Craft [6:40] 8. Onwards to Gallows Hill [9:25] 9. Stones upon the Warlock [3:30] 10. When Winter Spectres Come [6:31] 11. The Search for Tranquility [3:38]
Today, American black metal vanguard Uada reveal the new video “In the Absence of Matter.” The track hails from the band’s critically acclaimed third album, Djinn, recently released by Eisenwald. Created by Chariot of the Black Moth, see & hear Uada‘s “In the Absence of Matter” video in its entirety here:
[Photography by Adriana Michima/Michima Photography, taken in the Alvord Desert, Oregon]
Since their formation in 2014, Uada‘s rise has been meteoric. Hailing from the Pacific Northwest, the band quietly released their debut album, Devoid of Light, in 2016 through Eisenwald, and word of mouth quickly built from there: here was BLACK METAL writ large, classic and uncompromising but brimming with power, soul, and artistry, and all without bluster and bathos. Uada‘s debut album surely expanded the lexicon of the melodic black metal idiom, and the underground took notice. Two years later came Cult of a Dying Sun, whereby the band further perfected their craft and compellingly took to the stage, their performances garnering as much acclaim as their recordings. During all this, more than the underground started to take notice; the name Uada was on the tongues of folks usually reticent to black metal.
Now, almost effortlessly, Uada fully perfect their craft and deliver their masterwork: Djinn. Simply titled but by no means simple in construction nor execution, Djinn builds upon the increasingly ambitious songwriting of its no-less-considerable predecessor, but pushes their dazzling artistry into nearly Technicolor landscapes of the Beyond. Upon the first opening notes, this boundless artistry is felt: big, rolling rhythms reminiscent of post-punk, tantalizingly setting the stage for the splendorous expanses to follow. There’s a certain magick at play here, no doubt bolstered by the band’s rhythm section of Josiah Babcock (who puts in his final performance here) and new bassist Nate Verschoor, erstwhile mainman of Veiled; this throttling-yet-deft foundation both leads and plays acute counterpoint to the spiraling, windswept riffing of founders Jake Superchi (also vocals) and James Sloan, their guitar work transcending the poignancy of prior works. And indeed, Djinn‘s generous six-song/hour-long runtime no doubt allows the listener the ultimate freedom to roam within Uada‘s ever-unique world, spanning both smothering speed and deliriously dream-like states, Very Metal urgency and textural exploration alike – put simply, the band at the height of their creative powers. Djiin is truly its own realm of experience.
“Djinn, first inhabitors of this world, the smokeless fire and those we call upon our enemies, has gifted us a 60-minute descent into the modern-day possessions of our existence and demise,” state the band, “a duality that can only be known as our third wish.”
Graced once again by breathtaking cover art courtesy of the legendary Kris Verwimp, and with imminent touring plans for 2021, Uada shall overtake the throne with Djinn.
Order/save link can be found HERE. Further ordering info can be found at Eisenwald‘s North American webstore HERE.
Aforementioned cover artwork and tracklisting are as follows:
Tracklisting for Uada’s Djinn 1. Djinn [7:50] 2. The Great Mirage [6:50] 3. No Place Here [13:40] 4. In the Absence of Matter [9:49] 5. Forestless [7:55] 6. Between Two Worlds [13:56]
release notes All music by UADA All lyrics, arrangements & compositions by Jake Superchi
Vocals, guitars, keyboards & additional percussion recorded by Jake Superchi at Obsidian Spells Drums recorded by Charlie Koryn at Toadhouse Recording, Portland, Oregon Produced, mixed & mastered by Jake Superchi
Album cover & moon emblem by Kris Verwimp Layout by Jake Superchi Photography by Adriana Michima/Michima Photography, taken in the Alvord Desert, Oregon
Today, Eisenwald sets September 25th as the North American release date for Uada‘s massively anticipated third album, Djinn, on CD and vinyl LP formats.
Since their formation in 2014, Uada‘s rise has been meteoric. Hailing from the Pacific Northwest, the band quietly released their debut album, Devoid of Light, in 2016 through Eisenwald, and word of mouth quickly built from there: here was BLACK METAL writ large, classic and uncompromising but brimming with power, soul, and artistry, and all without bluster and bathos. Uada‘s debut album surely expanded the lexicon of the melodic black metal idiom, and the underground took notice. Two years later came Cult of a Dying Sun, whereby the band further perfected their craft and compellingly took to the stage, their performances garnering as much acclaim as their recordings. During all this, more than the underground started to take notice; the name Uada was on the tongues of folks usually reticent to black metal.
Now, almost effortlessly, Uada fully perfect their craft and deliver their masterwork: Djinn. Simply titled but by no means simple in construction nor execution, Djinn builds upon the increasingly ambitious songwriting of its no-less-considerable predecessor, but pushes their dazzling artistry into nearly Technicolor landscapes of the Beyond. Upon the first opening notes, this boundless artistry is felt: big, rolling rhythms reminiscent of post-punk, tantalizingly setting the stage for the splendorous expanses to follow. There’s a certain magick at play here, no doubt bolstered by the band’s rhythm section of Josiah Babcock (who puts in his final performance here) and new bassist Nate Verschoor, erstwhile mainman of Veiled; this throttling-yet-deft foundation both leads and plays acute counterpoint to the spiraling, windswept riffing of founders Jake Superchi (also vocals) and James Sloan, their guitar work transcending the poignancy of prior works. And indeed, Djinn‘s generous six-song/hour-long runtime no doubt allows the listener the ultimate freedom to roam within Uada‘s ever-unique world, spanning both smothering speed and deliriously dream-like states, Very Metal urgency and textural exploration alike – put simply, the band at the height of their creative powers. Djiin is truly its own realm of experience.
“Djinn, first inhabitors of this world, the smokeless fire and those we call upon our enemies, has gifted us a 60-minute descent into the modern-day possessions of our existence and demise,” state the band, “A duality that can only be known as our third wish.”
Graced once again by breathtaking cover art courtesy of the legendary Kris Verwimp, and with imminent touring plans into 2021, Uada shall overtake the throne with Djinn.
In the meantime, hear the brand-new title track “Djinn” here:
Aforementioned cover artwork and tracklisting are as follows:
Tracklisting for Uada’s Djinn 1. Djinn [7:50] 2. The Great Mirage [6:50] 3. No Place Here [13:40] 4. In the Absence of Matter [9:49] 5. Forestless [7:55] 6. Between Two Worlds [13:56]
release notes All music by UADA All lyrics, arrangements & compositions by Jake Superchi
Vocals, guitars, keyboards & additional percussion recorded by Jake Superchi at Obsidian Spells Drums recorded by Charlie Koryn at Toadhouse Recording, Portland, Oregon Produced, mixed & mastered by Jake Superchi
Album cover & moon emblem by Kris Verwimp Layout by Jake Superchi Photography by Adriana Michima/Michima Photography, taken in the Alvord Desert, Oregon
Portland black metal deviants touring in support of Cult of a Dying Sun
Portland melodic black metal spellcasters UADA return to the road Saturday for a North American trek dubbed “The Blood Sand Ash Tour” in support of their latest LP, Cult of a Dying Sun.
Witness the lyric video for “Snakes & Vultures” here:
Support on the two-month long excursion will come from Canadian black metal warriors Panzerfaust and NYC’s extreme metal trio Imperial Triumphant on all dates, plus Serbian blackened death metal unit Bane in select markets.
Blazing across 28 cities in both the U.S. and Canada, the international tour will see UADA hit several fall festivals, including Shadow Woods, Red River Family Fest and Quebec Deathfest.
Released on May 25, Cult of a Dying Sun is UADA’s second foray into darkness. Balancing sharp riffs with spectral melodies in a manifold of haunting—yet—distinctive blackened dirges, the sophomore Eisenwald effort is a sharp spear in the heart of the brightest star.
UADA is:
Jake Superchi – vocals, guitars
James Sloan – guitars
Edward Halpin – bass
Josiah Babcock – drums
Tour Dates:
9/19 – Kansas City, MO @ Riot Room
9/20 – St. Louis, MO @ Fubar
9/22 – Baltimore, MD @ The Windup Space (Shadow Woods After-Party)
9/23 – Chapel Hill, NC @ Local 506
9/24 – Miami, FL @ Gramps
9/25 -Tampa, FL @ Brass Mug
9/26 – Orlando, FL @ Will’s Pub
9/27 – Atlanta, GA @ 529
9/28 – Houston, TX @ Concert Pub North
9/29 – Austin, TX @ Barracuda (Red River Family Fest)
9/30 – Dallas, TX @ Double Wide
10/1 – Memphis, TN @ Growlers
10/2 – Nashville, TN @ The End
10/3 – Lexington, KY @ Cosmic Charlie’s
10/4 – Pittsburgh, PA @ Smiling Moose
10/5 – Brooklyn. NY – The Kingsland
10/6 – Philadelphia. PA @ Kung Fu Necktie
10/9 – Pittsfield, ME @ House of Doom
10/10 – Manchester. NH @ The Jewel
10/11 – Boston. MA @ Middle East Upstairs
10/12 – Silver Spring, MD @ H Restaurant & Nightclub
10/13 – Columbus, OH @ The Shrunken Head
10/14 – Indianapolis, IN @ Black Circle Brewing
10/15 – Chicago, IL @ Reggies
10/16 – Detroit, MI @ Lager House
10/17 – Lakewood, OH @ The Foundry
10/18 – Rochester, NY @ Bugjar
10/19 – Montreal, QC @ Quebec Deathfest
