Hypnotic Dirge Records

Comprising of two tracks nearing twenty minutes a piece, “Hierophant Violent” is a delicate and hypnotic sensory experience incorporating a myriad of styles and influences to craft a work of art which is cathartic and illuminating. Each track is a journey unfolding different aspects of the band’s sound, drawing inspiration from artists as diverse as Low, Leviathan, Skepticism and Dead Can Dance. As the band states: Forlesen's "Hierophant Violent" is an immersive, lush, psychedelic blend of dark ambient, epic doom, slowcore and shadowy black metal. It was conceived during a time of immense personal loss and emerged as something both beautiful and terrifying to us. We hope it will give the same feelings of shadow exploration to our Listeners. Featuring members of Lotus Thief, Botanist, and Kayo Dot among others, “Hierophant Violent” is a brilliant debut from a cadre of musicians already in top form who have lent their efforts to a new vision. Appropriately transfixing artwork by Benjamin A. Vierling (Aosoth, The Ajna Offensive, Joanna Newsom) will adorn this album, which will be presented as a 6 panel digipack. The album was engineered, mixed and mastered by Jack Shirley (Deafheaven, Oathbreaker, Mamaleek) at the Atomic Garden with additional recording by Forlesen.

Liminal Shroud is a black metal band based in Victoria, BC. Formed in late 2017, the band takes inspiration from the surging oceans and mist-strewn coast as they explore themes of futility, passage, and individual and metaphysical transformation. With a three-piece format, Liminal Shroud’s sound is stripped-back yet immersive, with expansive guitars underpinned by a driving and dynamic rhythm section; kindling a form of black metal surging with atmosphere and anguish, melancholy and rage. As the skies turn grey and dense fogs hang above the shoreline, Liminal Shroud will expel a swirl of melancholia and torment over its moss-strewn forests and perilous waves.

2020 marks the first release of Feral Light under the Hypnotic Dirge Records roster. The name is not new to the scene, being led by guitarist Andy Schoengrund (ex. Empires, ex. Wolvhammer), who formed Feral Light in 2015 with drummer Andrew Reesen, and shortly thereafter released a demo, an EP, and two full-lengths - 2017’s Void/Sanctity and 2019’s excellent Fear Rides a Shadow. Firmly anchored in Blackened Post-Metal, Life Vapor - their third album -, not only builds up on the foundations of its predecessor, but it also cranks it up on all fronts. It instantly pulls you in with its killer mix of melodic and dissonant riffing, combining and incorporating various styles including elements of post-metal, black n roll, doom, and second-wave black metal. This album is loaded with catchy riffs and memorable hooks exhibiting momentous black n roll sections that transform into triumphant post-metal, somber doom metal, and everywhere in between. Life Vapor is an album that manages to explore a wide berth of what the blackened sub-genres can manifest while remaining rooted by strong and purposeful songwriting and a balanced mix that highlights the instrumentation. Comes in 4-panel Digipak with 8-page booklet. Limited to 500 copies.