Today, AOP Records announces September 13th as the international release date of Agrypnie‘s highly anticipated seventh album, Erg, on CD and vinyl LP formats.
Founded in 2004 by songwriter Torsten H., who is also active in the bands Nocte Obducta, Theotoxin, and Suel as well as other musical projects, Agrypnie have developed into a significant force in the black metal scene over the years. What began as a solo project was expanded into a full band to enable live performances in 2007, a year after the release of the debut album F51.4.
With nine releases, including six albums, Agrypnie have created an extensive discography that reflects the variety and depth of their musical universe. Over time, Agrypnie have completed numerous tours and festival as well as club performances, captivating their audience with their intense stage presence and powerful performances. And as of 2024, with the planned release of their seventh album, Erg, drum recordings for the eighth album are already completed.
The album Metamorphosis, released in 2021, was Agrypnie‘s first under the renowned label AOP Records and reached #29 on the official German album charts. Additionally, it was named one of the top five black metal releases of 2021 by the German Metal Hammer. These recent successes, along with past achievements, highlight the band’s continuous development.
And that development arguably reaches its apex with Erg. In one sense, Erg is Agrypnie‘s most aggressive album to date; every instrument attacks from every angle, almost overwhelmingly so if not for the clear & cutting recording and the band’s enviously sharp execution. In another sense, Erg displays considerable daring and depth; while “black metal” in foundation, the album’s songwriting crests and crashes with kaleidoscopic wonder and cathartic urgency alike. That Agrypnie manage to make these eight compositions (“Blut” is a two-part suite) a forever-unfolding adventure that reveals ever-deeper truths the more one listens to it is a testament to their power and prowess as both songwriters and musicians. Rich sonically and in emotion, majestic even when plumbing the depths of melancholy, Erg is a tour de force of wide-screen BLACK METAL regardless of “progressive” or “post-” appellations.
Currently, along with Torsten, drummer Flo – songwriter for labelmates Theotoxin, drummer for Schirenc Plays Pungent Stench, and live drummer for bands such as Benighted and Schammasch – is the only permanent studio musician. The live musicians Lykanthrop (Batushka, guitar), Chris (Perchta, guitar), and Andi (ex-Paul Di’Anno Band, bass) complete Agrypnie.
In the meantime, hear the brand-new track “Aus rauchlosem Feuer” featuring Phil Jonas of Secrets of the Moon here:
Cover artwork, courtesy of syn2 / Marco Klein, and tracklisting are as follows:
Tracklisting for Agrypnie’s Erg
1. Aus rauchlosem Feuer
2. Meer ohne Wasser
3. Sturm
4. Blut
5. Entität
6. Stunde des Wolfes
7. Geister
8. Unter Sandessen und verscharrt
MORE INFO:
www.facebook.com/agrypnie.official
www.aoprecords.de
www.facebook.com/aoprecords