It's so exciting to have Ævangelist back. The now multi-national duo of Ascaris (Chicago, Illinois) and Matron Thorn (Tampere, Finland) had a couple years off since their split with Blut Aus Nord. Yet, 2018 has seen the enigmatic pair go to work on releasing new music. A compilation, EP, and a prior full-length all predate the impending Matricide in the Temple of Omega—a colossal and nightmarish new album that arrives early next month. While their recent output is immense, it is merely a morsel to tide listeners over until Matricide… arrives.
Ævangelist has dealt with a lot over the years: brushes with death, life-changing moves, and pursuits of their true identities. It shapes their music. It molds the very fiber of Matron Thorn and Ascaris' being. For their music—take "Æeon Death Knell", for example—it is ultimately as esoteric and sinister as ever. The second track from the upcoming fifth full-length record is, to say the least, overwhelming. It's not supposed to be easy though. Life hasn't been easy for Ævangelist lately, why should their music suddenly be?
The swirling mass of black and death metal that seeps from "Æon Death Knell" is sickeningly vibrant. Off-kilter arrangements of drums searing guitars highlight the 10-minute runtime. Ascaris' voice sits just behind the instruments in the mix, adding to the disorienting quality Ævangelist inherently possesses. It's this amorphous evil—a devil with no shape—that forms. Thorn seems to play every conceivable note while Ascaris heaves deep growls from the deepest recesses of her abdomen. It's peak Ævangelist.
Stream "Æon Death Knell" now. November 16 sees the release of Matricide in the Temple of Omega on I, Voidhanger Records. Also, follow Ævangelist on Facebook.
