Although a new alliance, the Finnish black metal band Bythos boasts a seasoned line-up of performers who come from other groups whose names will be known to every fan of black metal — Behexen, Horna, Sargeist, and Ajattara. In this new formation they’ve combined their talents to create an album that is thematically “an interdimensional view of the underworld and its deities, emphasising strongly on the spiritual evolution to liberate the imprisoned powers, and make one with the outer darkness”.
As further described, The Womb of Zero deals with: “The resetting of the divine plans through destruction and rising above limitations of life. Beauty in destruction, destruction in beauty. A sonic interpretation of what once was, and our constant path of devolution towards the Luciferian dawn”.
We share these insights first, because the music within the album translates these lyrical themes so well, and so powerfully, creating sensations of both chaos and transcendence, of fury and exultation, of menace and magic. We have a great example of these achievements in the song we’re presenting today through an occult-themed video, in advance of the album’s April 24 release by the esteemed Terratur Possessions. Prepare for “Sorath the Opposer“.
The song moves back and forth among thrilling variations of sound that collectively manifest sulfurous chaos, cold menace, and fiery glorification. The song surges through racing drums and a writhing, roiling, sinister riff that also soars. It shifts into a more methodical drum rhythm backed by mercurial bass emanations and more jittery riffing. But the riffing changes again, creating a feeling of black sorcery — and then the music rises and shines with supernatural light, just as the gritty, savage vocals rise in extravagant cries as the music sweeps upward.
Through these nefarious and numinous phases the strength of the melodies and the fervent vitality of the sound grow ever more powerful, to the point that they continue cycling through the mind even after the sound vanishes.
“Sorath the Opposer” is the second song to surface so far from The Womb of Zero, and we urge you to listen to the first one as well (it’s included below, along with our premiere), because it reveals further dimensions of this interdimensional album. Dismal and desperate, moody and magical, “When Gold turns into Lead” also has a strong melodic component that’s enthralling, and a rhythm section that eschew blasting and battering, creating a nuanced and compelling momentum for all the emotionally penetrating and beautifully layered guitar work and the vicious, roaring vocals.
To repeat, The Womb of Zero will be released by Terratur Possessions (with distribution through Ván Records) on the 24th of April. For pre-order info, check the links below.
BYTHOS is:
M.S. – vocals (Behexen/ex-Sargeist)
M.L. – guitars/bass (Behexen, Ajattara, Horna)
L.R. – drums (Horna)
PRE-ORDER:
http://van-records.com
https://www.recordshopx.com/artist/bythos/
BYTHOS:
https://www.facebook.com/bythosofficial
TERRATUR POSSESSIONS:
https://terraturpossessions.com/