Today, Hells Headbangers announces January 28th, 2022 as the international release date for Malefic Throne‘s highly anticipated debut EP, Malefic Throne, on CD and cassette tape formats; the 12″ vinyl version will follow later in that year. In lieu of this announcement, Malefic Throne reveal the new track “A New Hand Upon the Blade” HERE at Hells Headbangers‘ official YouTube channel.
A veritable death metal “supergroup,” Malefic Throne is a three-headed beast joining together death metal royalty: guitarist Gene Palubicki (Perdition Temple, Angelcorpse, Blasphemic Cruelty), vocalist/bassist Steve Tucker (Morbid Angel, Warfather), and drummer John Longstreth (Origin, Hate Eternal, ex-Angelcorpse). Suitably, the sound on their self-titled debut EP maliciously mainlines much of those foundational death metal sounds for which all three members have been renowned the past three decades. Fiery and furious but finessed with a surprising amount of grace, Malefic Throne spit forth a lean ‘n’ mean whirlwind that’s diabolically blackened and gleaming like the sharpest blade. In just 19 minutes, the trio get in, get out, and fucking DESTROY.
Palubicki explains the genesis of the band: “Malefic Throne was conceived over conversations and shared ideas among the three of us since around summer of 2020, deep in the early pandemic upheaval, while everyone was – and has been – in limbo for live shows/tours/etc. We hit on the idea of just going for it, writing some furious death metal material with the three of us, and seeing what would happen. Given who the band members are, it is surely clear the nature of what this is all about. We originally considered just doing an independently released demo, but we approached Hells Headbangers to see if they were interested in handling the debut EP release. They agreed, and onward it goes!”
If there’s any three underground veterans who deserve to use “Throne” in their moniker, it’s Malefic Throne. Pay fealty to these three kings of death!
In the meantime, hear the brand-new track “A New Hand Upon the Blade here:
Also hear the previously revealed “Deciding the Hierarchy” HERE, also at Hells Headbangers‘ official YouTube channel. Preorder info can be found HERE. Cover and tracklisting are as follows:
Tracklisting for Malefic Throne’s Malefic Throne 1. Deciding the Hierarchy 2. The Dawn of the Truth 3. A New Hand Upon the Blade 4. Nuclear Winter (Sodom cover) MORE INFO: www.facebook.com/maleficthrone
Today, Edged Circle Productions announces March 11th, 2022 as the international release date for In Aphelion‘s highly anticipated debut album, Moribund, on CD and vinyl LP formats.
A veritable treasure trove of Swedish black/death royalty, In Aphelion are a power-trio originally formed in 2020 by longtime Necrophobic guitarist Sebastian Ramstedt on vocals, guitar, and bass with prolific drummer Marco Prij. In 2021, with the advent of their debut demo, fellow Necrophobic guitarist Johan Bergebäck joined, making the unholy trinity complete. An impossibly auspicious first start, In Aphelion‘s first demo – despite being limited to a mere 50 copies – landed the band a deal with Edged Circle, first resulting in the teaser-length EP Luciferian Age and now a grandiose hour-long debut album, Moribund.
Indeed, while the spectre of classic blackened death metal for which Sweden is known looms large over In Aphelion, it must be stressed that these gentlemen are THE grand architects of that incredibly influential and ever-enduring sound. And not ones to rest on their laurels, with In Aphelion do both Ramstedt and Bergebäck unfurl new vistas of the imagination whilst respectably remaining within that noble tradition. Simply put, this is timeless HEAVY METAL might painted in purple-blue hues but beaming with brilliant colors beyond.
Point proof is In Aphelion‘s first full-length recording, Moribund. While two tracks – “Luciferian Age” and “Draugr” – were forecasted on the aforementioned Luciferian Age EP, Moribund majestically displays the full bounty of In Aphelion‘s seemingly infinite powers. Longer, stronger, more deathly, more blackened, more METAL, more of literally everything: Moribund is a veritable monolith of awe-inspiring songwriting and impassioned performance. Breathtaking opener “World Serpent (Devourer of Dreams)” lives up to its namesake – and then some – and duly sets the stage for all that follows for the next 59 minutes. Rise, fall, rise even higher, marching and racing and spiraling and dazzling with every step: In Aphelion exercise a wealth of texture and nuance across these ten tracks, all whilst remaining razor-sharp and as finessed as it comes. It’s not hyperbole here to suggest that In Aphelion in general and Moribund in particular handily challenge the sacred tomes of the ’90s – again, it must be reiterated that two of those architects are in this band – but the epic-yet-effervescent manner in which this timeless black/death is rendered puts both in rarefied territory, and refreshingly so. And, just like the swift & satisfying Luciferian Age, Moribund is likewise given a grippingly powerful mix & mastering by Unleashed’s Frederik Folkare.
Luciferian Age teased with its truncated makeup, but now Moribund grandly declares the arrival of In Aphelion as kings!
In the meantime, hear the aforementioned “Draugr” here:
Cover and tracklisting are as follows:
Tracklisting for In Aphelion’s Moribund 1. World Serpent (Devourer of Dreams) 2. Draugr 3. Let the Beast Run Wild 4. Luciferian Age 5. This Night Seems Endless 6. He Who Saw the Abyss 7. Moribund 8. The Origin 9. Sorrow, Fire & Hate 10. Requiem
IN APHELION lineup Sebastian Ramstedt – vocals & lead guitars Johan Bergebäck – rhythm guitars Marco Prij – drums
On December 17th, NoEvDia will release Funeral Mist‘s highly anticipated fourth album, Deiform.
The inimitable Funeral Mist – one of the most iconic bands on the NoEvDia roster – has delivered unto us Deiform. Seven musical pieces contemplating the nature of divinity and mortal existence through the fiery lens of black metal.
As did the three past albums, Deiform exhibits a completely different approach to sound production compared to its predecessor. Nevertheless, from the first song to the last, the source of this multi-layered madness is unmistakable; all the classic Funeral Mist characteristics are present. Ambitious interludes, which are impressive compositions in their own right. Innovative use of various samples, which become a living, breathing part of the music. And frenzied oration delivered by what many believe to be the best and most versatile vocalist in black metal. All culminating in spiritual violence in its crudest form.
Deiform is a holistic experience, in the sense that music, art, and photography – all deriving from the project’s mastermind, D Rostén – is connected, and thereby best experienced in unison.
Full album stream to be revealed the day of release. Cover and tracklisting are as follows:
Tracklisting for Funeral Mist’s Deiform 1. Twilight of the Flesh [9:38] 2. Apokalyptikon [4:26] 3. In Here [8:57] 4. Children of the Urn [7:46] 5. Hooks of Hunger [4:55] 6. Deiform [9:09] 7. Into Ashes [9:10]
Today, Greek black metallers Diablery stream the entirety of their highly anticipated second album, Candles. Set for international release on December 17th via Saturnal Records, hear Diablery‘s Candles in its entirety here:
We are heralds of the Luciferian Aeon. Searching Within and Without, into the bottomless, boundless Darkness, to gaze upon the Inner Flame. The Flame ‘carried’ by Phosphorus and the Light-Bearing Archetypes. We sculpt Sound into a Sword, to rip the fabric of reality, to reveal the Pillars of Wisdom & Knowledge, to break the shackles and ultimately to manifest the Current.”
Hailing from Athens, Greece, Diablery was formed in 2008, with guitarist Nimerius and vocalist/guitarist Setesh being the core members of the band. After almost a decade of restlessness and member changes, the lineup was solidified with the additions of bassist XII and drummer Merenhor.
Two years after their birth, Diablery recorded the demo/EP The Catharsis, which was later re-recorded in 2011 as The Eye EP. In 2014, DIABLERY released their debut album, Architect, which was mixed & mastered by Borge Finstad at Toproom Studio (Norway). In 2017, they honored their alliance with fellow Greeks Shadowcraft with the release of the split EP Entropy, which was mixed & mastered by Setesh at Void of Cosmos studio.
Now, Diablery return with their grandest statement yet: Candles. Simply and elegantly titled, Candles marks both a refinement and rebirth of the Diablery sound. Here, the band eschew some of the more familiar sympho-BM tropes that marked their earlier work for something that, while being still distinctly (and proudly) black metal, aims for a parallel cosmos that’s just as awe-inspiring…if not more so! Their physicality bleeds through everything here, sounding very much like a real BAND, performing together as one entity – “Live performances embody the raw power of black metal, as long as they further darkness and spiritual light,” says the band, which has seen Diablery tour across Greece, Germany, Norway, Bulgaria and the Netherlands – and emboldening the skyscraping songwriting they so effortlessly unfurl here. It’s an epic album, to be sure, clocking in at 66 minutes, but its forever-surging/winding corridors of nightsky sound and literally breathtaking melody ensure that listening is swift and satisfying. More simply, Candles is a great black metal record that aims for the essence – BLACK METAL, above all – and betrays a wealth of imagination within.
Profound truths await those who light the Candles of Diablery!
Experience those truths visually with the previously revealed video “Sanguine Emissions of Aeonic Ecstasy” exclusively HERE, also courtesy of Black Metal Promotion. Preorder info can be found HERE. Cover and tracklisting are as follows:
Tracklisting for Diablery’s Candles 1. Three Torches Lit [7:09] 2. Sanguine Emissions of Aeonic Ecstasy [6:56] 3. Spiral Ascension of Becoming [7:34] 4. The Star-Veiled Face [7:39] 5. The Coming Fog [6:01] 6. The Piercing Ice [8:45] 7. Moonlit Dome Revealed [8:59] 8. The Earth Covered My Face [9:50] 9. The Core that Burns Forever [2:17]
Today, Mexican death metal cult Ravenous Death premiere the new track “Portals to Non-Existence”. The track is the second to be revealed from the band’s highly anticipated second album, Visions From the Netherworld, set for international release on January 24th, 2022 via Memento Mori. Hear Ravenous Death‘s “Portals to Non-Existence” in its entirety here:
Hailing from the vast death metal hotbed of Mexico, Ravenous Death feature current members of such other bands as Remains, Demonic Manifestation, and Death’s Forsaken. The band’s embryo was brought forth in 2016 during the recording of Remains’ third album in Mexico City, when vocalist/guitar player Miguel Angel and drummer Esteban Salcedo toyed with the idea of creating a death metal band influenced by Vomitory, Torture Division, and the likes. Later on, both musicians shared their vision with lead guitarist Enrique Fray, and the three of them agreed to push the idea forward and carry it out as a side-project due to the commitments they all had with their main bands. Soon after, Enrique and Miguel Angel began writing songs for the newborn abomination, and the three members decided to name the band after a Vomitory song titled “The Ravenous Dead.”
Fast forward to October 2016, and the recording of Ravenous Death‘s debut demo/EP, Ominous Deathcult, is finalized (although not released as a Bandcamp download until March 2017), including five songs chock full of rotting maliciousness that show great poise in combining blasting brutality, crushing heaviness, somber ambience, and fierce intensity, with the lyrical themes revolving around death, occultism, blasphemy, and other classic topics of the olden Metal of Death. On May 13th, 2017, the band make their first live performance in the city of Guadalajara. For this occasion, two new members were recruited – namely, bass player Alejandro Mendez and guitarist Diego Gomez – leaving Miguel Angel on vocal duties alone. After the excellent crowd response, both Alejandro and Diego join the band as official members.
Emboldened by this patient momentum, and featuring new vocalist Victor Mercado, Ravenous Death at last released their debut album, Chapters of an Evil Transition, in 2019 courtesy of Memento Mori. Aptly titled, Chapters of an Evil Transition indeed displayed the band’s transition into an evil death metal juggernaut. The album found great favor among the death metal faithful, for it absolutely bled the molten-yet-mildewed essence of ’90s Metal of Death.
Now Ravenous Death are back to fuck fashion and especially fickle tastes with the longer and stronger Visions From the Netherworld. Not for nothing is the album titled as such: Visions From the Netherworld is an epic 63 minutes, and conveys a moodiness perfectly suited to these slicing ‘n’ sluicing songs. The atmosphere is hideous, EVIL as ever but without any cloying “cavernous” touches; the production is professional and powerful, skillfully balancing gleam and grime; the leads are more prominent, and blackened to a crisp; and the songwriting itself twists and turns and twists some more, opening infinite labyrinths but always with a (crooked) direction in sight. Whereas the previous full-length displayed trace elements of Mexican forebears Shub Niggurath as well as Sadistic Intent, Seance, old Grave, ’90s Immolation, ’90s Vader, Finland’s Demigod, and of course Vomitory, here do Ravenous Death strike upon new-yet-old ground that can only be qualified as OMINOUS ROTTEN DEATH METAL. And as its epic length suggests, Visions From the Netherworld is indeed a concept album as always; the cover art, once again by the masterful Mörtuus, represents all the twisted visions that the band have about Hell, the underworld, and punishment, etc.
Enclosed in era-authentic mastering courtesy of Loïc Fontaine at Krucyator Studio, France, Ravenous Death have eclipsed their momentous debut with their Visions From the Netherworld!
Behold the first vision with the previously revealed “Gore Vault Dismemberment” HERE at Memento Mori‘s official YouTube channel. Aforementioned cover art and tracklisting are as follows:
Tracklisting for Ravenous Death’s Visions From the Netherworld 1. Intro – Trail of Horrors 2. Caverns of Freezing Torture 3. Plethora of Blood 4. Kingdom of Æternal Flames 5. Gore Vault Dismemberment 6. Hydra Dungeon 7. Path of the Spawn Dogs 8. Burnt Children of Moloch 9. Serpents of Wretchedness 10. Portals to Non-Existence 11. The Ascending Chasm
Today, Werewolf Records sets January 14th, 2022 as the international release date for the first (and final) album from Finland’s Grieve, Funeral, on CD and cassette tape formats.
It was but 2020 when Grieve emerged from the darkness with their self-titled debut EP. Although otherwise meant to exist strictly in that darkness, it was soon discerned that the band included veritable Finnish black metal royalty within its ranks. Nevertheless, the swiftly uncompromising nature of Grieve was felt: Northern Black Metal Exclusively From the 1990s. No more, no less, no progression, no fun.
The same banner is upheld on Funeral, Grieve‘s highly anticipated debut album. Aptly titled, Funeral is also the band’s final recording, and a more fitting epitaph one will not find. Recorded in Hell during the diabolical summer of 2021, Grieve‘s first full-length is a fiercely focused one, solely featuring funereal marches by V-Khaoz and last rites by Werwolf. Beyond cold, utterly grim, violent and restrained simultaneously, Funeral is a record out of time, one where the last couple decades of “black metal” never existed. In fact, it’s not inaccurate to say that Grieve‘s final strike could’ve been released by Malicious Records back in the mid ’90s, so authentic and impassioned is this vintage obsidian. Suitably for the occasion, mastering was done at Trollhouse Audio, giving Funeral that extra gleam of deathly pallor.
From here on, Grieve does not exist anymore. Gather for their Funeral, or just walk on by.
Last rites can be witness with the brand-new track “Possessed…” here:
Cover and tracklisting are as follows:
Tracklisting for Grieve (Finland)’s Funeral 1. Lethal Wind of Destruction 2. Winter of Torment 3. Possessed… 4. Nocturnal Cries 5. Requiem of Mankind 6. Helvetin Valtaistuin 7. Funeral Path
Today, Eternal Death sets February 4th, 2022 as the international release date for Interment Ashes‘ striking self-titled debut mini-album on cassette tape format.
Born from the long, cold New England winters, Interment Ashes was formed in 2020 by fellow members of Connecticut black metal band (and now labelmates) Ritual Clearing. Paying tribute to the rawness of second-wave bands such as Mayhem and Gehenna while incorporating melodic and blackened punk elements that harken to more modern bands such as Solar Temple or Wulkanaz, the duo’s self-titled debut mini-album evokes the cold and isolated conditions under which it was brought to fruition. Interment Ashes‘ pulse is strident and stirring, brimming with a never-overstated sense of emotion that elevates Interment Ashes beyond rote “black metal” tropes. Similarly, its idiosyncrasies don’t betray the core ethics at the heart of authentic, true black metal; if anything, these assertions of identity and relatively unique thinking underline the original current of unorthodoxy endemic to the earliest progenitors of that second wave. Either way, Interment Ashes‘ songwriting across these four dense ‘n’ desolate tracks evinces a thoughtful approach already advanced for such a new entity.
Boldly modern and unselfconsciously classic in equal measure, Interment Ashes‘ Interment Ashes is a glorious first birth upon a ruinous winter wasteland.
Take the first step into that wasteland with the brand-new track “Isolation’s Urge” here:
cover and tracklisting as follows:
Tracklisting for Interment Ashes’ Interment Ashes 1. Isolation’s Urge [7:50] 2. Cold Wind Altar [4:19] 3. I Am Not What I Appear [8:47] 4. Negligent Confinement [6:56]
Today, Serbian black metallers CMPT premiere the new track “Srce od trnja.” The track is the second to be revealed from the band’s highly anticipated debut album, Krv i pepeo, set for international release on December 21st via Osmose Productions. Hear CMPT‘s “Srce od trnja” in its entirety here:
Down the southern part of the Danube basin, in a land historically known as the Balkans, for centuries, the local population has cultivated a specific relation towards certain periods of daytime. With the basis on which all tribal activities were organized, one such period was an exception to all others and concerned the movement at particular times of the night. The locals call this period “Gluvo doba” (English: “Deaf Age”), and in the old beliefs, it is also known as “Demon Hour.”
“Deaf Age” refers to the darkest moment in the night, the time when unclean spirits and the forces of the underworld take over the world while nature sinks into silence. It is commonly believed to start somewhere around midnight and last until the first morning sounds. At that time, the barrier to the beyond is the weakest, so witches and demons are easily connected through haunted practices.
Krv i pepeo (English: “Blood and ash”) directly refers to this ritualistic bond and, at the same time, incidentally represents two symbols that have historically marked the entire Balkan continuum. Uncovering the layers of the profane, Krv i pepeo is a conceptual record composed as a ritual piece of dark Balkan sorcery, and it is a spiritual offering to the ancient cult of the dead!
Hear the previously revealed “Seme Ponoći” exclusively HERE, courtesy of the Black Metal Promotion YouTube channel. Preorder info can be found HERE. Cover and tracklisting are as follows:
Tracklisting for CMPT’s Krv i pepeo 1. Seme ponoci 2. Krv i pepeo 3. Prokletije 4. Vrani pir 5. Srce od trnja 6. Memla 7. Mesecev zub 8. Na vecernjem lahoru
Today, Danish death metal titans Phrenelith stream the entirety of their highly anticipated second album, Chimaera. Set for international release on December 10th via Nuclear Winter Records on CD and cassette tape formats – the vinyl LP version will follow next year – hear Phrenelith‘s Chimaera in its entirety here:
Since their formation in the dying days of the year 2013, Phrenelith have established themselves as a menacing force on the contemporary death metal scene. Dwelling in the dark pits of Copenhagen, the band honed their deadly craft, releasing a wealth of well-received demos, splits, and EPs. These primitive outbursts led to the release of their debut album, Desolate Endscape, in 2017, which has earned them much renown and praise, further solidifying their place in underground death metal. Furthermore, that debut album took them to far-flung corners of the world, allowing them to tour extensively in Europe and North America, and make festival appearances at Maryland DeathFest and Asakusa DeathFest in Japan among others.
Several years having passed since the conception of their monumental debut album, Phrenelith have been slowly conjuring up new material, which has culminated in the creation and recording of a new full-length that will soon be unleashed upon the world. Titled Chimaera, Phrenelith’s second album comprises seven songs of bludgeoning death metal, with lyrics heavily inspired by the darker terms of Greek mythology and shows a horrid-yet-familiar visage. While delving into new and uncharted musical territory, incorporating new refining elements, Phrenelith’s attack is accompanied by the downtuned darkness and death-rattling emissions that the band is known for. Truly, it is not hyperbole to suggest that Chimaera eclipses the expansive horror of Desolate Endscape.
Fully befitting this accomplishment, Chimaera is completed with cover artwork by the late/great Timo Ketola, while mixing & mastering were handled by Greg Wilkinson, who’s worked with Autopsy, Vastum, Necrot, Ossuarium, Undergang, and Fetid among many others (recording took place in Denmark’s Studio Ballade). As another cursed year draws to a close, Phrenelith looms ominously over all!
Aforementioned cover artwork and tracklisting are as follows:
Tracklisting for Phrenelith’s Chimaera 1. Awakening Titans [7:07] 2. Chimaerian Offspring – Part I [4:22] 3. Phlegethon [4:09] 4. Gorgonhead [3:59] 5. Kykytos [2:31] 6. Χίμαιρα [1:27] 7. Chimaerian Offspring – Part II [7:46]
Los Angeles death metal titans ABYSMAL DAWN will be releasing their new EP ‘Nightmare Frontier’ on February 4, 2022 via Season of Mist! In conjunction with the release, the band is now sharing their brand new single, “A Nightmare Slain” along with a music video that was created by Guilherme Henriques! Listen and watch here:
ABYSMAL DAWN frontman/founding member Charles Elliott comments: “The music for this track was recorded for ‘Phylogenesis,’ but we left it off the record. We thought it was a great song but we felt it didn’t quite fit into the flow of that album. The music shows a bit more of a slightly progressive and melodic side of the band, which we may explore more in the future. The lyrics were written during the pandemic and are inspired by the lore of the video game ‘Bloodborne’. Now, we have a lot of songs filled with social commentary and introspective lyrics. When it came time to write the words for this one, I don’t think I could bring myself to focus any more on the misery or subjugation that we live in our day to day lives. Who needs another song of ‘COVID’ drivel or divisive politics at this point? Hopefully we can all agree on what I discovered while I was trapped at home for over a year; ‘Bloodborne’ is one of the greatest video games ever made. ‘Animal Crossing’ and ‘Mario Party’ fans should definitely check it out, along with the rest of the ‘soulsborne’ genre for a stress free good time… We hope you enjoy our song inspired by one of the most metal games ever made. Enjoy and see you on tour!” Pre-orders for ‘Nightmare Frontier’ will start soon. The single and EP can be pre-saved across all streaming services HERE.
The artwork for ‘Nightmare Frontier,’ which was created by Par Olofson, can be found below along with the tracklist.
Tracklist: 01. A Nightmare Slain (4:43) [WATCH] 02. Blacken The Sky (4:15) 03. Behind Space (3:37) 04. Bewitched (6:43) Total running time: 00:19:20
American death metal masters Abysmal Dawn are back! After a six-year gap, the Los Angeles-based outfit and Season of Mist hereby present Phylogenesis. Not that Abysmal Dawn have laid low since the release of 2014’s lauded Obsolescence full-length. Far from it. They toured North America four times and hit Europe and South America for the first time. Meanwhile, founding member Charles Elliott opened his studio, Tastemaker Audio, to accelerate Abysmal Dawn’s own recording needs, as well to act as a bridge to other bands in need of a knowledgeable and relatable audio technician. But the road to Phylogenesis wasn’t an easy one. Besides work-horsing it throughout the U.S., Canada, Sweden, Germany, the UK, Brazil, Chile, and beyond in support of Obsolescence, Elliott and crew managed through some of the lowest points in Abysmal Dawn’s career. Internal strife, administrative burdens, musical differences, and motivation all had their various ways with the Californians. Yet, from the darkest depths, they prevailed, heralding a new chapter in the group’s storied history. Indeed, Phylogenesis is Abysmal Dawn’s rebirth!
“There was a brief period after doing two months of touring back-to-back in the U.S. and Europe in 2015 that I almost felt like calling it quits,” Abysmal Dawn’s Charles Elliott says. “It was our first time in Europe and I just had a hard time enjoying it. The band had grown, and I was a bit tired of having to handle most of the managerial aspects of what we do. The joy had been ripped from things and people weren’t getting along, and some people acted like they didn’t want to be there. But we went our separate ways with some of the members and all of a sudden, the band was fun again. They went on to other things and we’re probably all happier in the end. Sometimes, I feel it’s a miracle this album or band even still exists. I’ve avoided swearing on our records in the past, but the album’s opening line is actually, ‘Fuck you all!’ Maybe it’s primitive by our past lyrical standards but it’s genuine and it’s the most heartfelt, ‘Fuck you, we’re still here’ I could put on a record. I’m glad we stuck it out because I think this is our proudest moment so far.”
To say Phylogenesis is an extension or continuation of Obsolescence isn’t exactly as straightforward as it should be. On one hand, all the Abysmal Dawn trademarks—technicality, brutality, and melody—remain ingrained in the songwriting fabric. On the other, the band’s fifth full-length is more cohesive, rhythmically sophisticated, and far more adventurous. Elliott calls it “a major evolution.” Certainly, the six years of constant refinement, edge smoothing, and transition adjustments have paid off. What started as jam sessions between Elliott, bassist Eliseo Garcia, and drummer James Coppolino in 2016 eventually turned into one-offs. That there was no time limit to put Phylogenesis together ended up both a blessing and a curse. Total creative freedom at very little expense is a dream scenario, something a band of Abysmal Dawn’s stature took advantage of for their magnum opus. But without a ticking clock and dollars burning, the pressure to focus was far less severe, resulting in delays and feature creep.
“It was basically James, Eliseo and me meeting up at my place, jamming on ideas, seeing what worked and tweaking them from there,” says Elliott. “With the exception of ‘Hedonistic,’ James wrote all his drum parts. Obsolescence was demoed with me programming all the drums since our drummer at the time had moved up north. It was what it was, but it was pretty frustrating at the time. Having someone to bounce ideas off of in real-time, helped in maintaining the joy and momentum of making this album. Once it was time to record bass and leads, Eliseo and Vito [Petroni; guitars] would trickle in when they had ideas. We had no real deadline and seemingly infinite time to do things. Admittedly, I think it was hard for me to focus on the lyrics, not only because of things in my personal life but because I was focused on getting the guys in to complete their parts so I could focus.”
Finish Phylogenesis they did, in fact. Under significant duress, Abysmal Dawn had overcome their roadblocks. The results of the group’s undulating professional and personal schedules aren’t to be trifled with, however. Opening track “Mundane Existence” is a firestorm of labyrinthine yet savage riffs, enraged vocals, and machine-gun drumming. It’s death metal personified, enlightened, and perfected. Elsewhere, tracks such as “The Path of the Totalitarian,” “A Speck in the Fabric of Eternity,” and “Soul-Sick Nation” (feat. Fredrik Folkare of Unleashed, Firespawn, et al.) pose real threats to the status quo. In all three, Elliott’s passion for and dominance of death metal’s tenets are tangible. But there’s more to Abysmal Dawn on Phylogenesis than customary ritual. From the ruthless groove of “Hedonistic” and the staccato stabs of “Coerced Evolution” to the late album gem “The Lament Configuration” and the blistering cover of Death classic “Flattening of Emotion,” the songs are designed to slay in ways we’re just beginning to understand.
“We’re a pretty brutal death metal band, but what I feel like sets us apart is that no matter what we do there’s always some underlying sense of melody and hooks,” Elliott says. “There are lots of bands that are ridiculously brutal. There are lots of bands that are over-the-top technically or are blatantly melodic. We combine all that but we try to write something that sticks with you over time; that you’ll keep coming back to, and that works well in the live environment. We love all types of music, whether it’s fusion or industrial music, and it shines through here and there. But in the end, though, we’re a pure death metal band at heart trying to retain that old-school feel with an updated take for a new generation.”
Conceptually, Phylogenesis deals with the breakdown of social constructs humans have built over time. The album title is defined by the evolution of (or diversification) a species. So, Phylogenesis is an ironic take on Elliott’s observations, particularly how social media has accelerated and exacerbated the de-evolution of humanity’s interactive abilities. The cover art, again by Swedish artist Pär Olofsson, isn’t directly correlated to the lyrical narrative, but it does continue where Obsolescence left off. The Olofsson cover art has envisioned what it’s like on the inside of the Obsolescence tower, and that it’s humans that are being fed back to humans. The cover art continuity is akin to Richard Fleischer’s famed Soylent Green film but ripped through Elliott’s demented death metal lens.
“I think the lyrics deal a lot with things we encounter in our modern society and the effect it has on the individual,” says Elliott. “The dehumanization effect and divisiveness caused by bickering on social media (‘The Path of the Totalitarian’), the decay of legitimate journalism (‘True to the Blind’), struggling to find purpose in the pursuit of happiness (‘Hedonistic’), wishing something was greater than yourself (‘Mundane Existence’), the mental illness epidemic (‘Soul-Sick Nation’), embracing pain over numbness to feel alive (‘The Lament Configuration’), having our consciousnesses uploaded to a grid in order to make life sustainable on Earth (‘Coerced Evolution’), and the common theme throughout the band of wishing life on Earth would just start over (‘A Speck in the Fabric of Eternity’). I had started off wanting it to be a concept record but later scrapped that idea because I didn’t like how it was going. In the end though, it just naturally all tied together in some way. Even the Death cover seemed to fit lyrically in hindsight. ‘Coerced Evolution’ is really the only song that in the sci-fi vein this time around. As for Pär, yes, he did the cover art once again. We love working with him and we’ve been creating great covers with him since 2006.”
Abysmal Dawn recorded Phylogenesis over a multi-year timeframe. In fact, Coppolino’s drums were tracked as far back as 2017 with long-time collaborator John Haddad at Trench Studios. The rhythm guitars and vocals, as produced by Mike Bear and Elliott, were also done at Tastemaker Audio the same year. So, some of Phylogenesis goes back, but the parts are no less lethal. Slowly but surely, the group’s newest and greatest materialized, with Elliott finishing the lead guitars, bass, additional vocals, re-amping, and mixing sessions in 2019, again at Tastemaker Audio. Abysmal Dawn then packaged up their fifth for mastering ace Tony Lindgren (Rotting Christ) to handle at Fascination Street Studios in Sweden. Contemporary yet absolutely remorseless, Abysmal Dawn’s Phylogenesis is death metal for a new age.
“We took our time and went to few studios this time around, so it’s a bit of a laundry list,” Elliott says. “John Haddad engineered the drums at Trench Studios. John has been involved with all our records in some form since From Ashes. Mike Bear helped track and produce the vast majority of my vocals and rhythm guitars out of my studio. Mike produced both Leveling the Plane of Existence (2010) and Obsolescence. I tracked and produced all the leads, bass parts, and other odds and ends and mixed the album as well. Tony Lindgren at Fascination Street Studios mastered the record in the end.”
As for Abysmal Dawn’s next steps, the quartet await the release of Phylogenesis. With past support coming from the Village Voice, Decibel, PopMatters, and Pandora, as well as the group’s rabidly-devoted fanbase, the future of death metal is in good hands.
Lineup: Charles Elliott: guitars, vocals Eliseo Garcia: bass, additional vocals James Coppolino: drums Vito Petroni: guitars
