Norwegian extreme metallers, Dødheimsgard, will release their new album, Black Medium Current, on April 14 via Peaceville.
Today, Dødheimsgard share their exceptional first single, "Abyss Perihelion Transit". The ten minutes plus track weaves a sombre tapestry incorporating elements of multiple sub genres in the world of extreme metal and thematically tackles ideas of epistemological dualism.
Regarding the single, vocalist/guitarist Vicotnik had the following to say: “The whole album revolves subjectively around perception, experience, psychology, objective/subjective reality vs external pressure, tropes, taboos, the laws of motion/causality which influences one’s life. The subjective perception of reality vs the objective causal effects of reality and how they are bound interact.Epistemological dualism.”
Vicotnik continues: “I guess mental health, or rather instead of health, let’s call it mental condition is a big topic on this record. Not as in a complaining way, or as a good or bad notion, but rather a subject’s study of his own psychology (en)during everything.
Like the ambiguity of Being. What is Being? Is it a meta-physical stratum of subjective emotionally fuelled notions or is Being just explaining a physical object that is, therefore being. Epistemologically I guess these lyrics dwell a lot on naïve realism vs representational realism. Cognitivism vs behaviourism, and then bringing it all to an artist context obviously. So, it is experiential renditioning, not solution driven.”
Accompanying the single is a video and single cover art from visionary artist Costin Chiorenau who brings the disparate and incredibly solemn existence of Black Medium Current’s first single to life. Working together both the song and the video evolve over the course of the ten-minute run time to create something truly visionary both in a sonic and visual context.
Costin elaborates on the video: “I've been following Dødheimsgard for 20 years now, and the genius of Vicotnik always captured my highest focus, being at the same time a huge inspiration, both musically and aesthetically. I always perceived Dødheimsgard being more as an artistic movement than a black metal band, another aspect which excites my creativity and I feel fulfilled that I could express all this passion through the 'Abyss Perihelion Transit' art video and single cover."
He continues: “When I first heard it, I felt that void left behind by the desperation of the root-sense of old structures of perception. That void, which shakes the black matter foundation every time when manifestations tuned with and born in the past overleap the fresh sight of the present which fights hard to penetrate the dense walls of repetition. The main characters of this movie are the absence created by the vanishing old, the observer in search of a new fitting cloth of identity for its avatar and the desperate need of giving shape to the yet-not assimilated nor understood living new.
Secondary characters are different types of glitches in the matrix between self-imposed reality and the golden mean dream state, measuring systems for various types of space found between the layers of perception and the omnipresent shadow. These characters are interfering one with another in a multiverse of contrasts between defined and undefined, forming a brick-dust flavoured whole, at times exotic, at times smoked in bitter nihil. These characters are also the topics spoken but the energy of this song, by the voice of now and I consider the proper ones to be dissected through art.”
Watch the music video below.
Black Medium Current continues on the path set by 2015’s monumental and universally lauded A Umbra Omega album; itself a deeply poignant and potent release of vast maturity and insight. As is the questioning nature of Dødheimsgard, the band explore ideas in which trying to free oneself from a state of existential despair and confusion we in turn relinquish our own freedom. Suggesting that confusion and despair, however hard they may be to endure, are in a philosophical sense necessary told to question one’s own intellectual honesty.
Recorded during the end of 2021 and beginnings of 2022, with production duties being handled by Vicotnik. Engineered and mixed by Matias Aaveren at Top-Room Studios. Mastering by Charis at Feedback Studios with additional help by Pavlos.
Outside of traditional bass guitar duties Lars Emil Måløy lends his talents on piano, cello and theremin on "Requiem Aeturnum" as well as flute by STTNG on "Et Smelter".
Adorned by the work of graphic designer Łukasz Jaszak, having previously worked on Dold Vorde Ens Navn album, there was a symbiotic understanding when it came to artwork. Much like the album’s use of space musically, this is mirrored in the cover.
Black Medium Current will be released on April 14 on Digipak, Gatefold LP and digitally and is available to pre-order here.
Black Medium Current tracklisting:
"Et Smelter"
"Tankespinnerens Smerte"
"Interstellar Nexus"
"It Does Not Follow"
"Voyager"
"Halow"
"Det Tomme Kalde Morke"
"Abyss Perihelion Transit"
"Requiem Aeternum"
"Abyss Perihelion Transit" video:
Dødheimsgard are:
Vicotnik - Vocals and Guitar
L.E. Måløy - Bass
Tommy “Guns” Thunberg - Lead Guitar
Myrvoll - Drums
(Photo - Ole Martin Halvorsen & Pudder Agency)
