Canadian blackgaze solo-project UNREQVITED unveils the acclaimed new seventh full-length A Pathway to the Moon in full.
UNREQVITED comment: “This album represents the most significant sonic evolution in my journey thus far”, mastermind 鬼 writes. “With A Pathway to the Moon, I have embarked on a daring and novel exploration into a predominantly lyrical realm, diverging from the traditional Unreqvited sound. As we evolve into a touring band, this album was carefully crafted with the live performance in mind. These new compositions further elevate Unreqvited’s expansive soundscape, infusing it with grandiose anthemic refrains and vibrant, expressive lyricism.”
Ahead of the release if their seventh full-length album, A Pathway to the Moon, Unreqvited, the Canadian blackgaze solo-project of 鬼 (Ghost), has unveiled a new lyric visualiser for ‘Void Essence / Frozen Tears’. While it’s a timely taster for the album it’s also a reminder that singles are something of a rarity nowadays. I can’t help but feel that this is a significant loss. Perhaps not so much for acts like Unreqvited, whose singles are unlikely to garner radio play or drive the same kind of album-buying traction singles would in the 80s or 90s. The Internet has certainly changed our habits when it comes to music consumption, and while one may reasonably argue that the old industry model was a massive con on so many levels, we not longer appreciate the single as we once did. Singles were an art, and not only the kind pitched to radio play, and not only the standalone release which bridged spaces between albums and perhaps indicated a transition for an artist.
While it’s true that singles far too long for radio have been around since living memory (The Orb’s ‘Little Fluffy Clouds’ and ‘Psychonaut’ by Fields of the Nephilim spring to mind, but let’s not forget the songs radio made exceptions for, like ‘Bohemian Rhapsody’ and ‘American Pie’), it’s really only with the advent of the digital stream that ten-minute singles have become commonplace. It is, of course, much easier when terrestrial radio play isn’t on the cards, and fitting a track onto a side of vinyl isn’t something which requires consideration either.
If the demise of the single as we used to know it has one positive, it’s that artists are no longer constrained or limited by these boundaries. You want to release a single track that’s three hours long with no interruptions? No problem. No physical release and probably no audience, but no problem. Anyway. ‘Void Essence / Frozen’ is a single released as a lyric video, as seems to be popular right now. It may not be especial popular with me, but that’s neither here nor there.
According to the press release, ‘UNREQVITED explain: “The final advance track, ‘Void Essence / Frozen’ reveals the causatum of its antecedent, traversing vehemently into the undistinguished”, mastermind 鬼 comments. “Obstreperous yet endowed in euphony, it emblematizes a juncture in the greater odyssey by which it subsists. Redolent of prior opera, it is an ardent offering to the fervent disciple.”’ ‘Explain’ may be a rather generous overstatement, but it’s a bold counteractive stance against the perpetual dumbing down and overt aversion to anything which could feasibly construed as art in mainstream culture in recent years.
Clocking in at nine minutes, ‘Void Essence / Frozen Tears’ is but a brief interlude following ‘The Antimatter’. It’s also something of a contrast to its full-blooded raging guitar assault, with a graceful, chiming guitar. It takes a while for the rapid kick-drumming to hit and propel the guitar, by now soaring high, into the stratosphere.
There is so much detail, so much texture subtly woven into the fabric of this epic, epic composition, and then, around the mid-point, the vocals finally arrive. The screaming anguish is almost submerged in the mix… and then, suddenly, we’re adrift in space, airless. An ambient calm descends for a time, paving the way for the ultimate theatrical climax.
The album is now set for release on February 7, 2025.
THURNIN present the video clip ‘Arcturus’ as the first single taken from Dutch dream folk pioneer Jurre Timmer’s forthcoming new album Harmr (Old Norse for ‘grief’ or ‘sorrow’), which is slated for release on March 14, 2025.
THURNIN comment: “For the first advance single of this album, I have chosen ‘Arcturus’ the most obvious track,” composer and instrumentralist Jurre Timmer writes. “The track offers a mix of traditional Thurnin songwriting and a glimpse of the atmosphere that defines Harmr. This song celebrates the value of life, for there would be no grief without love.”
THURNIN’s third album Harmr was born out of the deep feeling of grief that only love can bring. The title refers to an old Icelandic word that is probably more literally translated as ‘grief’ while its contemporary meaning rather implies ‘sorrow’. The loss of one or even more loved beings is hard to bear for any person.
It is therefore hardly surprising that the lower key and a reduced tempo are permeating Harmr throughout most of the songs; and much more so than on its predecessor Útiseta (2023), on which THURNIN mastermind Jurre Timmer interpreted this numinous act as a way to commune with nature, and to gain spiritual wisdom in a time of introspection and transcendence.
UNREQVITED drop the new lyric video ‘The Antimatter’ as the second single taken from the forthcoming new album A Pathway to the Moon.
UNREQVITED comment: “The next single track, ‘The Antimatter’, is an exploration of chaotic dissonance that transcends the palisade of precedence within its taxonomy”, mastermind 鬼 writes. “A grave tumult that culminates into a disturbed meridian of bedlam and unrest, thereafter dissipating into an apprehensive tranquility as wistful and haunting as a brooding gaze.”
GRÀB unveil the lyric video ‘Kerkermoasta’ (English ‘dungeon keeper’) as the first single taken from their forthcoming new album Kremess (English: ‘funeral feast’’ German ‘Leichenschmaus’). The sophomore full-length of the Bavarian black metal duo has been scheduled for release on February 21, 2025.
GRÀB comment: “Our first advance single ‘Kerkermoasta’ is probably the most in-your-face track of the album”, vocalist and lyricist Grànt states. “It also shows a wide range of basically everything that makes our sound unique. Some parts remind me of the best days of such bands as the Norwegians Gehenna. There is also a dulcimer that introduces the melody, mid-tempo, blast beats, groove, and a slow ending. On the lyrical side the Bavarian word ‘Kerkermoasta’ literally translates to ‘Dungeon Master’. The dungeon keeper in question is the Grim Reaper himself. In other words: Life creates the doorway, death holds the key.”
AMBER ASYLUM reveal the title track taken from their forthcoming new album Ruby Red. The tenth regular full-length of San Francisco’s neoclassical dark ambient quartet has been slated for release on February 14, 2025.
AMBER ASYLUM comment: “The title track of our new album, Ruby Red, is a poignant dirge that directly addresses the pain and loss inflicted by the pandemic, riots, war, and the looming specter of death”, frontwoman Kris Force writes. “Its haunting melody resonates with the collective sorrow and anguish felt in the aftermath of recent upheavals. Through mournful vocals and evocative instrumentation, the song serves as a solemn elegy, amplifying the echoes of grief caused by these tumultuous events. Each note carries the weight of collective sorrow, inviting listeners to confront the harsh realities of our world and to find solace in shared experience.”
Listen here:
AA
In times of trouble, women have often had to bear an even heavier burden throughout history. On their tenth full-length Ruby Red, San Francisco based all-female quartet AMBER ASYLUM offers a haunting reflection on turbulent eras, and blends instrumental passages with evocative lyrics. Ruby Red combines dirges, introspective laments, and powerful songwriting that evoke both despair and hope. The album transitions between themes of pain, loss, empowerment, and mortality, while creating a sonic landscape that is both raw and introspective. "Ruby Red" features bass, classical strings, percussion and kit, modular synthesis and female voices.
Ruby Red differs from its predecessor in the expansion of focus and depth. While earlier albums centered more on personal emotions, relationships, and journeys, Ruby Red broadens its scope to address global issues such as societal upheaval, war, and human rights. This album navigates both the personal and the global, and aims to illuminate the seen and unseen forces that influence our shared reality.
Musically, AMBER ASYLUM balance driving neoclassical elements with the raw power of pounding bass and drums, adding a potent, rhythmic force that contrasts beautifully with the quieter, brooding strings on Ruby Red. The bass and percussion create a compelling pulse that underpins the tracks, adding both intensity and depth to the album’s darker moments.
AMBER ASYLUM have taken inspiration for the lyrical concepts of Ruby Red from significant global issues such as the pandemic, riots, war, political turmoil, the threat to women’s rights, and empowerment, all while maintaining a deep connection to the extramundane. It reflects on mortality and the inevitability of death as part of a greater cosmic order, intertwining these global crises with metaphysical reflections on the resilience of the human spirit.
AMBER ASYLUM were conceived by composer, singer, and multi-instrumentalist Kris Force in the Californian city of San Francisco in 1990. Throughout their ever-changing musical evolution, the band has shifted throughout a variety of styles and collaborated with a host of musicians such as Steve van Till (NEUROSIS), Sarah Schaffer (WEAKLING), John Cobbet (HAMMERS OF MISFORTUNE), Leila Abdul-Rauf (VASTUM), among many others.
With Ruby Red, AMBER ASYLUM perfectly capture the growing dread and horror of many of a new dark age falling in our time. Yet the Californians balance the eerie and unhinged with a fragile beauty and blossoming of hope. Ruby Red is a most fascinating soundtrack of all that is to come. Listen carefully.
German avant-garde metal pioneers DISILLUSION release and stream the limited instrumental edition of their acclaimed current album Ayam released on November 8, 2024.
DISILLUSION commented: “We are stoked that our first instrumental album ever is finally seeing the light of day”, singer and guitarist Andy Schmidt wrote. “The idea for this concept already came up during the recording of Ayam. We wanted to metaphorically let the music do all the talking. An abundance of details and intricacies within the tracks have now shifted to the foreground. This allows a quite different perspective on the album and illuminates previously hidden facets. Hopefully, you will find this as exciting as we do. Enjoy!”
AA
Two years after the release of Ayam, the fourth DISILLUSION full-length will have spun on record and CD players, and also been streamed countless times. Every melody, rhythm pattern, and note will have been listened to again and again. And yet, there are still many musical ‘secrets’ waiting to be uncovered and treasures to be found. With Ayam (Instrumental), DISILLUSION offer their most dedicated followers a beautiful map to find some of the hidden gems. Without the magnificent vocals, other aspects of the songs begin to shine, and new aspects of each track come to the fore. Nothing has been added from the original songs, only the vocals have been taken out of Ayam.
Who are we? Where do we go? These are the kind of existential questions that have arisen for many of us during these last years and that have also been haunting DISILLUSION during the creation of "Ayam". Without a chance to perform live and their personal lives also being affected by many restrictions the focus of the German avant-gardists shifted fully towards their band and the creation of new songs as well as recording. The effect is audible: Ayam sounds richer, even more multi-layered, and fully matured compared to the already highly praised previous releases. Yet the intricacies of their music are never just a means to an end, but more than anything all the complexity is subjugated to serve the inner feeling and cinematic aspect of each song itself.
The thematic questions and multi-dimensional layers of the songs are also reflected in the album title Ayam. The word derives from Sanskrit and means "This One". Pronounced in English it sounds like "I am", while reading it backwards turns it into "Maya", which is neither an accident nor explained by the band that obviously likes to offer riddles.
While DISILLUSION stuck closer together, they were also searching their hearts whether it was time to change old habits and try out something new. This led to the excellent decision to leave the mix of the album to different ears than the bands’ for the first time. Their choice could not have been better as renowned producer Jens Bogren (OPETH, KATATONIA, MOONSPELL) once again worked his exciting magic and enhanced their already unique sound by shining a sonic spotlight to the most important aspects such as the vocals.
Founded around singer and guitarist Andy Schmidt in the East Germany city of Zwickau in 1994, DISILLUSION pulled the rare trick of already becoming a staple in the field of avant-garde melodic death metal with the release of their full-length debut Back to Times of Splendor in 2004. The Germans have always been driven to seek new challenges and find new ways to evolve their music, which was exemplified by the following album Gloria that took radical musical steps in several directions at the same time. Gloria was far ahead of its time in terms of composition and sound, which becomes apparent when compared to GOJIRA’s masterpiece Magma for example that came out a decade later.
Despite their early success, DISILLUSION took a creative hiatus until suddenly returning in 2016 with the single ‘Alea’ and a new line-up that had changed in several positions. Quite likely even to the band’s surprise, a large and loyal fan base had formed during the decade of their absence, which showed in sold out shows and a highly successful crowdfunding campaign to realise a new album, which the Germans repeated for Ayam.
When The Liberation was released in 2019, critics described the album as a logical continuation of Back to Times of Splendor. Its songs reflected 15 years of additional experience in the musical development of Andy Schmidt. The Liberation turbo-charged all of DISILLUSION’s best qualities: the perfect interplay of massive metal with moments of pure euphoria and quiet introspection that create a sonic rollercoaster ride of passionate emotions.
With Ayam, DISILLUSION again sail among the stars to new stellar constellations of heavy sounds. While staying true to their general course, the German avant-garde pioneers also continue dropping anchor to explore new planets sparkling in space with a multitude of radiant sounds. Ayam offers exciting evolution rather than radical revolution, and DISILLUSION’s new musical forms and means are most beautiful and astonishing to behold. This album is a golden ticket to join the extraordinary journey of a life-time. Please feel free to check-in anytime you like. And with Ayam (Instrumental) you can even take the scenic route!
Summer has come to an end, all swallows have left the north, and autumn is already knocking on doors and windows with gusts of wind and rain. When the first leaves are falling, it is also time for melancholic tunes. WHISPERING VOID has the perfect offer for this darkening season: the eponymous song that gave the collective of renowned musicians from Norway’s west coast their name. ‘Whispering Void’ is taken from their forthcoming debut album At the Sound of the Heart, which has been scheduled for release on October 18, 2024.
WHISPERING VOID comment: “Lyrically, ‘Whispering Void’ combines all the elements of this album”, vocalist Kristian Espedal reveals. “The slow, gracious movements of the music evoke the innocence of natural beings moving through a forest, as acted out by the vocals in the verses. This song also features our third ‘outside’ collaborator, Matias Monsen from the band DROTT is playing the cello.”
US Black Metal innovators NACHTMYSTIUM drop the next advance single ‘A Slow Decay’ taken from their forthcoming ninth album Blight Privilege. The full-length has been scheduled for release on All Saints’ Day, November 1, 2024.
NACHTMYSTIUM comment: “The song ‘A Slow Decay’ concerns itself with the disintegration of society that is going on all around us”, mastermind Blake Judd muses. “It does not even matter which side you are on. We are all being played.”
When iconic Norwegian vocalist Gaahl, revived TRELLDOM he did the only thing that could ever be expected from this exceptional artist: the unexpected. Hardly anybody could have predicted the stylistic shifts and the twists and turns of the forthcoming new full-length: …by the shadows…
A few weeks back, TRELLDOM opened their set at this year’s edition of Bergen’s Beyond the Gates festival followed the introduction via By the Shadows with the new opening track ‘The Voice of What Whispers’. This avant-garde jazzy yet relentlessly driving song conjured looks of confusion, fascination, and even rapture onto many faces in the crowd. Now the band releases ‘The Voice of What Whispers’ as the third single in the shape of an equally unexpected yet fascinating video. Who would have thought to see a Japanese horror style clip from a Norwegian band with deep roots in the black metal scene?
Aural Aggravation 