NEWS RELEASE
Montreal, QC – May 9, 2024
SHROUD OF DESPONDENCY Unleashes Relentless Cosmic Black Metal Split With LanzerRath
Off Split EP w/ LanzerRath Out May 10th, 2024
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L-R – Rory Heikkila (all instruments), Ron Blemberg (vocals)
Prepare for an auditory descent into the abyss as Shroud of Despondency, from Michigan, USA, unveils their latest offering – a split with LanzerRath that is a true display of unrelenting cosmic black metal. This collaboration amplifies the intensity of Shroud of Despondency‘s sonic landscape, delving into the cosmic realms of negative energy that wreak havoc on creation wherever it manifests. Founder and multi-instrumentalist Rory Heikkila comments on the split:
âShroud of Despondency prides itself on being unpredictable and remains concerned only with the artistic process. While previous albums have focused primarily on dying, death, entropy, and the despair that comes with life, in its current state it is taking a more science-fiction approach to these topics. LanzerRath has been supportive of Shroud of Despondency in the past and I approached them about the idea of a split when I realized their music was good and they were also from Michigan. We were both, oddly enough, interested in doing something around the idea of cosmic terror, and the collaboration kind of just happened from that.â
Heikkila’s journey with Shroud of Despondency began as a means of coping with personal loss and paying homage to black metal influences. Despite a hiatus from 2004-2011, the project resurged with live performances and prolific recording sessions in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. Since 2015, Heikkila and Blemberg, both hailing from Michigan but based in Milwaukee, have maintained a steady output of music, characterized by their unpredictable, dark, and emotionally charged compositions.
Heikkila adds that this split and an upcoming full length continue what was started on 2016âs full length, âOf Origin, Conflict, and Recurrenceâ, in that it sees these negative energies as taking physical form in host bodies and wreaking havoc. The split is recommended for fans of Enslaved, Root, and Thorns.
Listen to the full stream premiere of the Shroud of Despondency / LanzerRath split via its premiere on MetalInsider HERE.
Due out on May 10, 2024, the Split EP is available for pre-order at ShroudofDespondency.bandcamp.com.
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Track Listing:
1. Shroud of Despondency – The Source of Multiversal Degradation
2. Shroud of Despondency – Celestial Venom
3. LanzerRath – Nebular Collapse, The Dissolution of Order and Meaning
More info:Â Facebook.com/shroudofdespondency
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âShroud has always struck a fine balance between black metalâs esoteric and progressive bookends; in addition to the skin-searing atonality and machine gun riffing inherent to the genre, the band has made it a commonality to include tasteful strains of classical, Americana and folk, not to mention thrash, doom and death metal, in their sound. Basically, I was amazed they still hadnât had someoneâs dotted line thrust in front of their faces, especially in light of 1) the black metal genreâs historical open-armed acceptance of everyone from Emperor and Vattnet Viskar to Abruptum and Panopticon, and 2) the shitloads of crap out there that gets passed off as âessential listening.ââ- Decibel
âFrom top to bottom, from the beginning of the first track until the last note of the fifth and final song of the album, Air of Abrasion is simply brilliant. Itâs such a wild ride of an album, with literally the first 3/5ths of the album bringing such a visceral and stunning quality, to the last two tracks showcasing an emotive and musical talent that is flat out levelling on a whole new plane, or at least that elusive plane of musical identity and awareness that few artists actually achieve. I get the feeling that no matter if Shroud of Despondency sold 100 records or 100 million records, their writing and output would still be of the same quality and magnitude.â – Teeth of the Divine
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