Ulthar - Astranumeral Octave Chants (From 'Anthronomicon' LP, 2023)

Ulthar 'Astranumeral Octave Chants' Anthronomicon (& Helionomicon) Releasing February 17th, 2023 CD / LP / TAPE / DIGITAL https://www.20buckspin.com/ulthar Anthronomicon: 1. Cephalophore 2. Fractional Fortresses 3. Saccades 4. Flesh Propulsion 5. Astranumeral Octave Chants 6. Coagulation of Forms 7. Larynx Plateau 8. Cultus Quadrivium Helionomicon: 1. Helionomicon 2. Anthronomicon Over the course of their first two albums, ‘Cosmovore’ and ‘Providence’, Ulthar carved out a unique niche on the spectrum of underground metal, forging a grotesquely elegant hybrid of Technical Death Metal alchemy and Black Metal’s stinging blizzard winds, all with the acerbic color of the absurdist’s brush. Nearly 3 years on from ‘Providence’, a burst of deadly creativity has resulted in TWO new albums, to be released simultaneously. ‘Anthronomicon’ embodies the continued progression of Ulthar’s mastery over its art - always evolving, refining and pushing forward. From the opening blasts and twisting mania of ‘Cephalopohre’ Ulthar baffle with angular warped riffage, dipping in and out of various dimensional spheres. Off-kilter multi-directional turns veer swiftly and violently as though about to come apart at the seams only to reshape again and again into ever more monumental forms. Each of Anthronomicon’s 8 tracks represent a fractious piece of a larger puzzle, each a maze unto itself that when taken together allow one to traverse this inverted surrealist conundrum. Where its sister album ‘Anthronomicon’ presents an 8 piece puzzle of labyrinthine tumult, ‘Helionomicon’ takes those elements and creates two towering 20 minute monoliths of radiant avant-garde immensity. Each track, appropriately titled ‘Helionomicon’ and ‘Anthronomicon’, transports the listener on a vast journey of psycho-cerebral spectacle where hitherto unimagined landscapes take shape and strange intangible structures pierce the disintegrating firmament. Despite the substantial length of these two tracks, it’s never a tedious ride; each visits countless new vistas and perspectives across time. In essence ‘Helionomicon’ becomes a synthesis of all Ulthar’s recorded output to this point across two climactic, ambitious epics. Having reached albums three and four concurrently, and having many other bands and albums under their collective belts, the three seasoned players that comprise Ulthar have not been content to play things straightforward, to be just another Death Metal band among thousands. Rather the band continuously seeks and executes with more compulsive complexity, more nuance and in pursuit of a persistent ascension to a transcendent and incongruous world beyond the mundane; a place of euphoric exultation and bewildering awe. Credits: Steve Peacock - Bass / Vocals Shelby Lermo - Guitars / Vocals Justin Ennis - Drums Recording April 2022 at Developing Nations in Baltimore, MD by Kevin Bernsten Mastered by Adam Tucker at Signaturetone in Minneapolis, MN Artwork by Ian Miller Additional artwork by Steve Peacock Photography by Melissa Petisa