From now on, our releases are available at “METAL ODYSSEY”, an exclusive eshop carrying the complete I, VOIDHANGER RECORDS catalogue, old and new: https://metalodyssey.8merch.com The METAL ODYSSEY Eshop provides worldwide professional delivery, fast and traceable shipping, first class customer service, and nice prices. From now on, we will use Bandcamp mainly for promotion and digital sales, while physical products will be available for purchase from our Eshop first, and through our usual distribution channels...
Denmark’s TONGUES debuted in 2014 under the flag of I, Voidhanger Records with “Thelésis Ignis”, a portentous 35-minute long EP which earned them the praises from the underground metal aficionados. Apparently swallowed by the shadows right after that promising release, TONGUES have simply kept a low profile and concentrated for 3 long years on the second chapter of their doomed spiritual journey. A journey that now spawns “Hreilia”, a new and exciting example of TONGUES’ audacious synthesis of black, death and doom metal, propelled by fiery riffs, magnetic melodies and mystical atmospheres. Enshrouded like its predecessor in an esoteric dark aura and graced by an apocalyptic cover painting by vocalist A. Lovmand, “Hreilia” delves even deeper into the realms of subconscious. “The underlying concept of the album was inspired by a dream; that’s where the word Hreilia comes from,” confirms drummer and lyricist C. Qvortrup. “That word held a significant spiritual value within the context of that dream. It symbolised a profound spiritual disappointment… a nightmare.” TONGUES’ pessimistic approach to the new album is quite evident even during its most aggressive moments, when the inner fire that characterized the previous EP bursts out nervously from the articulated structures of “Grove Of Mithridate” and “Theophagous Wounds Of Earth”, two examples of the band’s trademark style, hanging in the balance between utmost aggression and psychedelic meditation. As the album progresses, the melodies become slowly – yet steadily – more depressive and defeated, till when TONGUES’ ferocious inner struggle concludes and gives way to sadness and disillusionment. TONGUES is: T. Lovmand – Guitars and bass A. Lovmand – Vocals, additional guitars, synth,...
PREVIEW: https://soundcloud.com/i-voidhanger-records/luup-92 The project of Greek composer and multi-instrumentalist Stelios Romaliadis, Lüüp have a long history of excellence within the fields of chamber music, progressive folk and avant-garde. Voted by many as one of the best albums of 2011, their previous release “Meadow Rituals” captured on record the dark essence of British prog-folk. Six years later, LÜÜP are back with a new concept, a work of dark and ceremonial chamber music imbued with esoteric atmospheres and characterized by a black metal approach which reflects Stelios Romaliadis’ passion for the genre. Aptly titled “Canticles of the Holy Scythe”, the album is a concept about Death through occult philosophy; a journey of understanding and reconciliation with Death as a symbol of renewal through self awareness and enlightenment. It’s a superb cultural pastiche where superstitions and folk traditions entwine with the secrets of Alchemy and the Kabbalah, with Aleister Crowley’s magick and with ancient invocations of cosmic deities and astrological energies. LÜÜP’s chamber music is sombre, minimalistic yet elegant, often bordering on folk and ambient drone. It combines the aesthetics of black metal, Balkan folk polyphonic singing, the harmonic and rhythmic power of Igor Stravinsky and Bela Bartok, the micro-polyphony and developing stillness of György Ligeti & Giacinto Scelsi, and the dark music of Univers Zero and Art Zoyd. Apart from the acoustic orchestration alternatively combining violas, cellos, bassoon, double bass, flute, woodwinds, piano, santouri and percussions, “Canticles of the Holy Scythe” is dominated by the intense performances of some amazing vocalists. The fascinating “witch” Sofia Sarri sounds truly possessed during the demonic incantations of “9°=2° (Κόγξ ὀμ Πὰξ)”, while the mournful,...
PREVIEW: https://soundcloud.com/i-voidhanger-records/the-clearing-path-ankhtkheperura-in-thee Gabriele Gramaglia, the young Italian artist behind SUMMIT – which debuted on I, Voidhanger Records in 2016 – is back on the scene with his oldest project, THE CLEARING PATH and with a pivotal release enclosing the circle of the otherworldly concept begun with the previous full-length, “Watershed Between Earth and Firmament” (2015). This time the music evolves in a way more complex opus which ranges from hellacious riffs and tremendous shrieks to atmospheric and meticulous progressions and passages of lucid insanity, exploring the most distant landscapes of the unknown cosmos and the most benighted and metaphysical aspects of the Universe, imprinting into the listener a profound sense of dismay and contemplation. The result is “Watershed Between Firmament And The Realm of Hyperborea”, a powerful and relentless album, variegated and eclectic yet organic and solid. A stellar work of extreme, dissonant metal madness, with ambient drifts and thoughtful soundscapes. THE CLEARING PATH is: Gabriele Gramaglia – all instruments and vocals Recorded during winter 2016/2017 by Gabriele Gramaglia Main Guitars reamped by Colin Marston in Thousand Caves Studio Mixed by Stefano Lattanzio and Gabriele Gramaglia Mastered at Sweetspot Studio in Athens Parts of lyrics readapted from Dante Alighieri’s Divine Comedy Cover art by Altar of Sorrow Layout bt Francesco...
“Rarely do bands show a passion and creativity that holds them apart from the herd, even rarer still do they have the talent to translate this drive in actual quality heavy metal that holds its head above the crowd – Inconcessus Lux Lucis deserve this accolade.” – John McNulty, Iron Fist Magazine INCONCESSUS LUX LUCIS are a UK based band who play a style of music that they call Saturnian Black Magick. Their music is firmly rooted in black metal, executed with a rock and roll attitude and with clear influences from classic heavy metal acts such as Iron Maiden, and Motorhead, as well exemplified in their previous EP, “Crux Lupus Corona”, released in 2014 by I, Voidhanger Records. After starting to perform live in 2015 the band have played a string of successful shows including two special guest performances on Mayhem’s recent De Mysteriis Dom Sathanas Tour. Their live shows are incense filled, blood-drenched musical assaults that evoke an otherworldly, dark and mysterious atmosphere, an atmosphere which is in keeping with the overtly adversarial intent of INCONCESSUS LUX LUCIS and their mysticism laced, death venerating song lyrics. In 2016 the band travelled to Stockholm, Sweden to record their second full-length album, “The Crowning Quietus”, with Tore Stjerna at Necromorbus Studio, known for producing classic recordings with bands such as Ofermod and Watain. The result was a resounding success, INCONCESSUS LUX LUCIS produced a record of arguably their most refined and potent music to date, and with the assistance and expertise of Tore Stjerna they managed to capture the necrotic and violent atmosphere the band create when performing in...
Romania’s BLOODWAY cement their relationship with I, Voidhanger Records by releasing “A Fragile Riddle Crypting Clues”, the closing chapter of a trilogy which started in 2014 with the “Sunstone Voyager And The Clandestine Horizon” EP and continued the following year with the band’s first full-length, “Mapping The Moment With The Logic Of Dreams”. Lead by Costin Chioreanu, one of the most celebrated graphic artists within today’s metal field, BLOODWAY blend black metal, progressive metal, heavy rock and psychedelia in equal parts, forging a very peculiar style that revolves around deep emotions and dark inner visions, exactly like Chioreanu’s surreal art. “In this new chapter the same character from the previous albums returns to the world of humans, but with a different and larger perspective, animated by his experiences and mental transformations,” Chioreanu explains. “The world is nothing but a prison, with virtual walls risen from the controlled collective intellect, where all the prisoners are locked in by themselves. Everyone is free to go and live outside the so-called system, but nobody really wants to leave the cells for the unknown.” It’s a concept made of disenchantment and melancholy, and yet the album is more aggressive than BLOODWAY’s past material, as well as extremely dark. “In this prison, our character buries his achieved illusions about humanity and rediscovers memories from childhood,” Chioreanu continues; “he is attacked by chimeras, fears imposed by will, but at the same time he reaches illumination by simply accepting reality in it’s complete and horribly deceiving splendor. So he realizes that everything is nothing but a matter of perception.” From the lyrical perspective, “A Fragile Riddle...
Two US one-man bands, two different approaches… and yet an incredibly cohesive example of underground metal fueled by darkness and madness. Ohio’s THE WAKEDEAD GATHERING have proved to be one of today’s most interesting death metal bands. Perfected through 3 full-length albums ranging from cosmic horror to tales of witchery, their style syringes heavy doses of black metal into the old Immolation/Incantation death metal formulas. THE WAKEDEAD GATHERING’s new track, “The Blind Abyss”, makes no exception, and it’s probably the band’s most epic composition to date thanks to a morphing structure open to all kind of dark and gloom sonic surprises. Dedicated to H.P. Lovecraft, it evokes none other than the unholy Azathoth, the blind fool god that sits in the middle of the eternal nothingness, whistling its horrific tune of cosmic death. The other side of split sees the return of the Indiana based ECFERUS, here offering 3 brand new songs. Compared to their latest full-length release – “Pangaea”, 2016 – characterized by long tracks and a progressive black metal approach, ECFERUS’ new material is concise, definitely more violent and brutal, and perfectly tuned with a concept dealing with madness and apocalyptic omens. It’s as if the Lovecraftian deity invoked by THE WAKEDEAD GATHERING has finally brought its music to Earth, corrupting minds and inspiring cruelty, murders and moral decadence. ECFERUS’ songwriting is nervous and epic at the same time. The songs twist and turn, shaken by cataclysmic guitar solos, each riff more venomous and evil than the previous one. It’s an escalation of violence that culminates with the last track, “Cerebral Inferno”, an unrelenting black metal number...
Certainly among the craziest and most extreme bands of today, HOWLS OF EBB and KHTHONIIK CERVIIKS meet each other within the grooves of an explosive split album that glorifies the dark and twisted side of death and black metal. HOWLS OF EBB play their limbonic metal under the insignia of madness and rage. Their sanguinary riffs clench our reality with sharp claws and squeeze it to death. Under the title of “With Gangrene Edges”, HOWLS OF EBB’s 3 tracks conjure up bizarre demons from poisonous and metamorphic dimensions too abstruse and disgusting to be grasped in full by our small minds. On their side, KHTHONIIK CERVIIKS dive into what they call the “Voiidwarp”, a psychic death metal vortex assaulting the senses, annihilating reason and obliterating existence. In 5 stages, the band reaches a climax of psychotic ferocity many and many times, transfiguring every melody into a dreadful cacophony. And when the prophetic third eye opens, they are ready to mercilessly stab it. Despite the differences in sound and style, KHTHONIIK CERVIIKS and HOWLS OF EBB have in common a creative approach that bestows uniqueness and originality to their songwriting. They are never too pretentious and never betray their ancient metal roots. On the contrary, they exalt and glorify the most primeval, instinctual and scariest elements of metal through their unbridled visionary talent, making metal wild and dangerous once again. Howls of Ebb cover art by Timo Ketola Khthoniik Cerviiks cover art by Khraâl...
Undoubtedly one of the finest Finnish black metal bands, VERGE feature musicians that play or have played with other esteemed underground acts like Charnel Winds and Saturnian Mist, among the others. Thanks to their previous works – two fascinating full-length albums and a few splits – VERGE have proved to speak a unique black metal language that bends the misanthropic roots of the genre to their will and to their progressive music vision, uncompromising and highly original like most part of Finnish metal. VERGE’s third and most mature release is titled “The Process of Self-Becoming” and is a concept album “loosely based on philosopher Sören Kierkegaard´s theory of existence stages”, as the band explains. “Each song has been written from a particular subjective existential stance and the crisis it inevitably faces.” Divided into three chapters – Aesthetic, Moral and Religious – and graced with precious lyrical contributions from Shoo (Charnel Winds) and Johannes Nefastos, “The Process Of Self-Becoming” is an extremely ferocious work, yet a deeply meditative one, and it perfectly captures the wavering, tortured nature of its philosophic contents and existential dilemmas. The violent assaults of “The Decision Beyond Calculation” and “The Pride In Despair” dissolve into some of the most intense rock-oriented guitar solos ever heard within the context of a black metal record, thus emphasizing the continuous struggle between reason and doubt, while the tremendous final bacchanals of “The Bedrock Gives Way” and “Grounding in the Unground” seal the album with majestic crescendos and dramatic words: “Not God, but Me in God / Taking the serpents from His mother’s hands / You are the final stream...
Featuring members from various cult acts from the metal underground, namely CRUCIAMENTUM, GRAVEYARD and SUSPIRAL, Spain’s SHEIDIM are back with a new EP, “Infamata”, a worthy successor to their 2016’s full-length debut on Dark Descent Records, ”Shrines Of The Void”. In a little more than 27 minutes, SHEIDIM sink their sharp teeth into the black metal matter, exalting its implicit violence as well as its dark and majestic aura, not dissimilarly from what Watain or Dissection have done in the past. They masterfully shift from destructive accelerations to lugubrious slowdowns within the same song, combining black metal with a death metal frenzy in a lethal yet elegant formula that gives evidence of their untamable nature and grants to their music an unbearable tension. Recorded at Moontower Studio and then mastered by Dan Lowndes at the infamous Resonance Sound Studio, “Infamata” isn’t just a confirmation of SHEIDIM’s talent, it also conquers new grounds by substantially expanding and enriching their sound and songwriting. It especially happens within the closing number, “Sister Of Sleep”, a torrid track that erects a black metal cathedral, soon demolished under unmerciful riffs and portentous grooves. And while guest vocalist NSK (Teitanblood) offers his vocal cords as a sacrifice on the altar of black/death metal, a gut-wrenching and hypnotic guitar solo leads the song towards its ultimate, desolate end. SHEIDIM is: A.K. – Vocals C.S. – Guitars P.K. – Guitars A.T. – Bass J.F. – Drums All music by C.S. Lyrics by C.S. & A.T. Guest lyrics on Underneath by M. Reaper Guest vocals on Sister of Sleep by NSK Recorded and mixed by J.Félez at Moontower...
“Mystic Echo From A Funeral Dimension”, the promising debut of ESOCTRILIHUM, will see the light on July 28. CD limited to 300 copies. ESOCTRILIHUM is an enigmatic band from France devoted to a majestic kind of black metal made of aggressive riffs and transcending melodies. Nothing is known about Asthâghul, ESOCTRILIHUM’s sole member. Although clearly in debt with the black metal masters of the 90s, he’s been able to carve out his own style, treading a line between unadulterated rage and ecstatic contemplation; between primitive instinct and exquisite technique. The result is “Mystic Echo From A Funeral Dimension”, an esoteric voyage towards nocturnal and silent landscapes illuminated by the cold moonlight. Each song is a mystic key that opens the gates to otherworldly dimensions of darkness, inhabited by elemental spirits and cruel ancient gods. ESOCTRILIHUM explores the obscure lands existing between dream and death to unveil the unfathomable secrets that tie Nature and Man together. Thanks to a thunderous sound drenched in echo and reverb, the transcendental aura of ESOCTRILIHUM’s black metal sink the listener into a comatose state, close to fainting, where reality succumbs to powerful visions of cosmic beauty and unknown horrors. Wrapped in a fascinating painting by Luciana Nedelea, “Mystic Echo From A Funeral Dimension” is a triumphant celebration of the night with its supernatural mysteries, and ESOCTRILIHUM a spiritual guide that leads us through them. Asthâghul – all instruments and vocals Written, performed and recorded in 2016 Cover painting and logo by Luciana Nedelea Art direction and layout by Francesco...
We’re happy to announce that TCHORNOBOG’s eponymous debut album will be released on July 28th as a deluze and limited 8-panel digipack with 2 booklets! The fearsome beast indwelling sole member Markov Soroka (Aureole, Slow), TCHORNOBOG bursts into the metal underground with a crushing and sensory-overloading eponymous album. Seven years in the making, “Tchornobog” can be described as a vessel to elaborate the various metaphors of religion, psychological disorder, and auditory hallucinations of the human animal. “The purpose of the project is to assume the body as an empathetic creature to understand both the Self and the attempts to find meaning in the world,” Soroka explains. “TCHORNOBOG is not a worship of the namesake Slavic ‘Black God,’ but rather a sarcastic evaluation as well as a testament to those with severe illness, and a nod to those of a religious related coping mechanism for the fear of death.” In the span of four long and articulated tracks, TCHORNOBOG devours the whole spectrum of extreme music – from black metal to death metal, to funeral doom; then, it vomits everything out in the form of a dense, corrosive and lysergic substance to feed our minds with. Such a digestive process mimics the endless cycle of creation and destruction, and brings with itself a spiritual illumination. TCHORNOBOG’s psychedelic approach and mind-expanding sound contemplate the use of saxophone, trumpet, bells, grand piano and cello to accompany the devastating drumming of Magnús Skúlason from Svartidauði, while Greg Chandler of Esoteric adds his deep growls to a couple of tracks. However, what hits the most is Markov Soroka’s visionary grandeur, the exorcism performed...
