CD

Returning from time apart to a world forever changed, dread-fuelled duo A SWARM OF THE SUN bring with them their fourth studio album, ‘An Empire’; its brooding, yet beautiful, melancholic narrative arc allows the band to dig ever deeper into desolation whilst a newfound lyrical focus adds a tenderness that is both harrowing and heartwarming at once.

With the early bones of forthcoming ‘An Empire’ tabled by events beyond their control in 2019, Erik and Jakob came together years later and scrapped them in favour of creating something entirely new; something distinctly different to break the cycle, defy categorisation and reflect the uncomfortable uncertainties of the times we now live in. The result is astounding; continuing the thread of narrative composition seen on ‘The Woods’, ‘An Empire’ is a six-track tale told in four distinct movements that are nothing short of devastating, from plaintive piano ballads to raw, full-band fury.

Limited CD with slipcase, sticker and bonus track.

"Un disco d’altri tempi, come concezione e come sviluppo, legato agli anni ’70 e ad un’interpretazione del progressive nel suo significato più profondo, ossia non come genere ma come libertà espressiva assoluta, la cui realizzazione è stata possibile grazie alla collaborazione di una lista lunghissima di ospiti che vanno ad affiancare il gran cerimoniere Samael, apportando ciascuno idee e personalità. E’ impossibile non notare come, accanto alla base ritmica (Wally Ache dei Cerebral Extiction e Aleister Ventrenero, ossia Demian degli Evol), sia fondamentale il contributo di Elisa Montaldo (Il Tempio Delle Clessidre), protagonista assoluta con i suoi strumenti etnici in “Edoardo II” e con il pianoforte nella turbata “Peste 1347/2019”, così come le chitarre di Simòn Ferètro, il clarinetto di Vittorio Sabelli (Notturno, Dawn Of A Dark Age) in “Tragica Operetta” o le ambientazioni drammatiche create dalla narrazione di Nequam (The Magik Way) e dai cori di The Nun, tutti solisti in quella che si muove come una vera e propria orchestra.
Un cenno finale lo merita la copertina, opera di Emanuele Taglietti, illustratore noto per i suoi lavori in ambito horror/erotico." (estratto recensione metal italia https://metalitalia.com/album/mater-a-clivis-imperat-carmina-occulta/)

Sepulchral Voice, 2 panel digipack, poster booklet

‘Burning in Celestial Poison‘ is not only a statement and lesson in audio-violence, it is a 44 minutes long manifest of radical DEATH Metal causing mental lacerations and chaos! A record supposed to shock, because of its ecstatic ruthlessness and massive fanatical malevolence, hovering deep below the compositions. It opens the doors to a world that is so unbelievable vast, that you risk to lose yourself in it, its depths defy exegesis. 4 curses are woven into 4 hymns of utter death-magic, which will lead you into the black abyss of the grand divine. The album was again produced by master Arthur Rizk, who cuts through all expectations with extraordinarily dense and destructive fidelity and production. ‘Burning in Celestial Poison’ sounds like created with the magick, formulas, codes and keys of a world beyond.

With just four compilation tracks and one 7" EP issued in the early 1980s, Hollow Ground did have a rather low profile at the time of the original New Wave Of British Heavy Metal. However, their first and only single »Flying High« (issued on the collectable Guardian Records label) became an instant collector's item. Today copies with the scarce picture sleeve fetch rather insane prices. Before the release of the single Hollow Ground had recorded the four songs 'Rock On', 'Fight With The Devil', 'Flying High' and 'The Holy One' for the Guardian compilation album entitled »Roksnax«. Hollow Ground carried on to record more material (such as 'Promised Land', 'Easy Action', 'Rock To Love' and 'Loser') but an album deal was not on the cards. As a result singer Glenn Coates left to join local rivals Fist. As a result, Hollow Ground split up in mid-1981. With 21 songs the Hollow Ground anthology album on High Roller Records contains virtually everything the band has ever recorded professionally. In comparism to some of the more conservative-sounding New Wave Of British Heavy Metal acts at the time (for example Fist), Hollow Ground did show a lot of promise. Guitarist Martin Metcalf knows why: “I think we had a wider range of influences as opposed to just heavy bands, we took things from all over the rock spectrum. We were like sponges soaking everything up, from the funk of Aerosmith, the hard-rock of Montrose to the proginess of Rush.” The song 'Fight With The Devil' was chosen by Metallica drummer Lars Ulrich for his »N.W.O.B.H.M. '79 Revisited« compilation released in 1990. Hollow Ground have recently played two re-union gigs: 2007 at Headbangers Open Air in Northern Germany and in late February 2014 at Newcastle's own Brofest.

Tutte le 14 canzoni di questa compilation sono state registrate dalla prima line-up dei DEATH SS che comprendeva Steve Sylvester alla voce, Paul Chain alla chitarra e tastiere, Claud Galley alla chitarra ritmica - Danny Hughes al basso e Tommy hand Chaste alla batteria Dal 1° al 7° brano sono home- demo versions per lo più inedite e comprensive delle intros originali Non si tratta quindi ( a parte Terror) delle stesse versioni apparse su The Story of Death SS, bootleg uscito per la Minotauro nel 1987 Dall’8° brano in poi sono registrati in studio e quindi sono registrati a dei livelli superioriAd eccezione delle canzoni 11 e 12 che sono versioni dal vivo, le uniche esistenti di quella formazione (ne esisteva una con Santhis Ghoram alla voce, cantata in fonetico nel 1984 e presente su The Story oppure quelle rifatte dai DEATH SS del 1995 con Steve Sylvester ma suonate da altri musicisti, presenti su Horror Music) Altra particolarità è che questo è l'unico disco che raccoglie tutte le songs esistenti registrate da questa line-up! Ogni brano è poi stato rimasterizzato e ottimizzato personalmente da Steve Sylvester! Le foto a corredo dell'artwork sono tutte INEDITE e provengono dalla collezione privata di Steve Sylvester La front cover riproduce esattamente quella dell'omonimo demo tape del 1981 (esistente solo in DUE copie)!

Comes in gatefold vinyl sized sleeve.
Included free 8 page full colour collectors booklet.