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Double CD

ESOTERIC trace their underground roots back to 1992. The Birmingham, UK-based outfit have been pushing the limits of sonic intensity for more than 20 years. From the mind-bending darkness of their 90’s double albums ‘Epistemological Despondency’ and the ‘Pernicious Enigma’, to the expansive epic doom found on their new album ‘Paragon of Dissonance’, ESOTERIC have never compromised their initial aim – to drown unsuspecting listeners in an oppresive ocean of distortion.

For nearly thirty years ESOTERIC have been pushing the limits of sonic intensity. From the mind-bending darkness of their 90’s double albums to the expansive epics found on their recent opuses, they have never compromised their initial aim; to unleash aural mayhem on unsuspecting listeners. Late 2019 sees the release of their most accomplished work to date, ‘A Pyrrhic Existence’. It is 98 minuts of new material, detailed and layered compositions and a high level of musicianship, foreboding production, and equal measures of utter darkness and melodic diversity.

Legendary Ukrainian black metal project Drudkh is ushering in the cold darkness and alluring decay of autumn with its brand-new offering, ‘All Belong to the Night’.
While the album is only four songs, it rages on for over 45 minutes, delivering an epic maelstrom of grandiose melodies, devastating aggression, and the cold atmospheric passages that have come to define Drudkh’s unmistakable sound.

Hin helga kvöl (The Holy Suffering) is a profound exploration of raw emotion and stark beauty, deeply inspired by Sólstafir’s cultural heritage and Iceland's breathtaking landscapes. Sólstafir, meaning "crepuscular rays" in Icelandic, refers to sunlight piercing through dark clouds at dusk, capturing the essence of Hin helga kvöl, a beacon of hope shining through the heaviest of times. Sólstafir confronts inner demons and transcends rock and roll decadence, creating music that resonates with the universal struggle and triumph over hardship. Recorded at Flóki Studios in the remote Skagafjörður, Iceland, the change of scenery has profoundly influenced the album's atmosphere. Hin helga kvöl features eight tracks blending Sólstafir's signature melancholic sound with elements from their past, merging black metal roots with tuneful, anthemic rock. Reflecting on the album's title, Tryggvason shares: "We all suffer in life, and even nature suffers. It can be found in religion and spirituality as well. Hin helga kvöl means 'The Holy Suffering,' representing the struggle we all face." The album’s stunning cover art by Rowan E Cassidy, featuring charcoal shadows, perfectly illustrates the emotional depth and breathtaking altitudes of Hin helga kvöl. Tryggvason describes the music with one word: "alone," capturing the essence of Sólstafir's unfiltered and ardently emotional sound. Sólstafir’s music is shaped by diverse influences, including Black Metal, Classic Rock, Post-Rock, Punk, and the stark beauty of Icelandic nature, crafting a unique sound all of their own. Hin helga kvöl promises to be a bright, shining milestone in Sólstafir’s illustrious career, illuminating the path from darkness to light. This November, let that undiluted haunting beauty and spiritual raw power of Hin helga kvöl run free in your mind. Suffering has never felt this enlightening. The album is available as: Ltd. CD Box Set, Ltd. CD Digipak, black LP, Ltd. Gatefold red LP & Art print, Digital Album

Unorthodox Death Metal from one of the most uniquely talented bands in extreme music. A soul-searching conflagration of atypical melodicism, immaculate virtuosic dexterity and sublimated psychological upheaval. A breathtaking new beginning.

Comes with printed innersleeves and download card.
 

Collectors edition, one off pressing, digipak CD with booklet

Italian long-standing black metal pioneers Funeral Oration are back with their third album. Originally formed in 1989 in Taranto, Apulia, the band released their debut album Sursum Luna in 1996 on Avantgarde Music before dissolving the following year. Twenty years later, in 2017, guitarist and keyboardist Luca La Cara and singer and lyricist The Old Nick brought Funeral Oration back from the dead to release their sophomore album Eliphas Love in 2019, again via Avantgarde Music.

Five years have passed already, and the time has come for a new chapter. Antropomorte sees La Cara and The Old Nick banding with bassist Iblis (Handful Of Hate) and drummer David Folchitto (Stormlord and many others) to craft seven hymns of old-style, essential black metal from the ‘90s. As Funeral Oration describes it, Antropomorte is “a desperate litany of decadence and mystical delirium. Marcia funebre per il genere umano.”

Once again we deal with poetry, occultism and antichristian sentiment thanks to lyrics directly inspired when not directly translated from poets and artists from different ages. “Amor Obsessio” is a direct translation made by The Old Nick from ”La morte embaumée” by M. Rollinat (1883), “Cloaca Cattolica” (“Catholic Sewer”) is inspired by true events occurred in Varazze in 1907, “Il Serpente Della Genesi” (“Serpent from the Genesis”) is another translation from “Lilith” by R. de Gourmont (1892) and so is “Notturno Sepolcrale”, translated from “Ténèbres” by A. Samain (1895). “Stregheria”, on the other hand, is a direct quotation of Salvator Rosa’s “La strega”, from 1646.
 

New press, 2022 edition, exclusive vinyl color in gatefold cover