Today, maverick UK death metallers Scythian premiere the new track "Beyond the Dust" at heavily trafficked web-portal InvisibleOranges.com, as part of their exclusive "The Road to Hells Headbash" coverage. The track is the opening salvo from Hubris in Excelsis, the band's highly anticipated second album, set for international release on August 21st via Hells Headbangers. Scythian's first album for Hells Headbangers - and the first UK band to be signed to the label - Hubris in Excelsis marks the transformation of a little-known quartet into a serious contender.
Heavily inspired by apocalyptic science fiction, morbid poetry, and the unlikely mix of Sodom, Bathory, and Angelcorpse - or perhaps more specifically, INRI-era Sarcofago, '90s Zemial, and Desaster's Tyrants of the Netherworld - here on Hubris in Excelsis, Scythian better the bold sound & vision triumphantly displayed across their celebrated debut album, 2009's To Those Who Stand Against Us, whilst retaining the unique, charismatic core that won them favor 'n' fervor in the international metal underground. From slow-burning beginning to bloody, battle-torn end, Scythian fire off nine, total-experience epics that are as engaging and invigorating as the last: almost narrative despite the hellfire and fury with which Scythian play, yet winding through a wide range of dynamic contours and subtly dusted with tasteful nuance.
Scythian are both obedient to and defiant of metal tradition, for in their world, there are "no gods / no masters" - only the power of the will, and the iron-fisted hand that wields it. They've harnessed such a power with the aid of Esoteric's Greg Chandler, who recorded and engineered Hubris in Excelsis at his Priory Studios, with mastering by Mithras' Leon Macey at Dreaming Studios. Altogether, it's a recording rich with confidence and color, vigor and violence, sweat and celestial space. Completing the totality of Hubris in Excelsis is the cover (and interior) art painted by esteemed underground artist Blanka Dvorak, which is rich with imagery influenced by morbid, dystopian sci-fi and resonates with the album's latent lyrical themes.
From the micro to the macro, above and below and beyond, Scythian have reached a startling maturity with Hubris in Excelsis, and their coming of age begins here. Prepare for the grand reckoning as tyrants feast exclusively HERE, courtesy of InvisibleOranges.com, as the first installment of their ongoing "The Road to Hells Headbash" coverage. Cover and tracklisting are as follows:
Tracklisting for Scythian's Hubris in Excelsis
1. Beyond the Dust...
2. Hubris in Excelsis
3. Apocalyptic Visions
4. As Tyrants Feast...
5. Penultimate Truth : Ultimate Deceit
6. The Laws...
7. Three Stigmata
8. War Graves (Dulce et Decorum Est...)
9. Dystopia
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