[Photo Credit: Michał Xaay Loranc]
Selfmadegod Records presents Agonia, the destructive new album from Krakow, Poland-based death metal outfit REDEMPTOR – uniting current and former members of Decapitated, Vader, Hate, Sceptic, Sothoth, Banisher, Deivos, and more – now confirmed for early December release. The album’s cover art, track listing, preorders, and more have been issued, including a video for the lead single, ‘Potion Of The Skies’.
REDEMPTOR is back with their first new full-length in four years, the successor to their well-received Arthaneum album. Agonia delivers nine new tracks of technical, heavy, and atmospheric death metal heavily influenced by Gorguts, Morbid Angel, Immolation, and Death. With the drums recorded at dMb Studio, the album was recorded, mixed, and mastered at Zed Studios by Tomasz Zalewski (Decapitated, Kat, Deivos), and completed with artwork by the band’s vocalist Michał Xaay Loranc, known from his work for Behemoth, Necrophagist, Nile, Abysmal Tortment, and many more. Additionally, Agonia features guest contributions of viola from Monika Boroni and orchestral arrangement by Dominik Wawak on the song ‘Debris’.
Alongside the album’s details, Agonia’s lead single, ‘Potion Of The Skies’, has also been issued through an official video created by Chariot Of Black Moth. Writes guitarist Daniel Kesler with its premiere, “’Potion Of The Skies’ is an intense piece, at the same time showing the more structured face of REDEMPTOR’s music, a showcase of the sound of Agonia, which is why it is the first one we want to share it. Working on Agonia, we’ve been entirely focused on creating an overwhelming, dark atmosphere. It expresses fear, anguish, and despair. In the flood of strange and bleak arrangements the peculiarity floats inertly towards the abyss.”
Watch REDEMPTOR’s official video for ‘Potion Of The Skies’ now at YouTube RIGHT HERE
Selfmadegod Records will release Agonia December 3rd on CD, LP, and digital platforms. Watch for preorders to post at selfmadegod.com this week.
Stand by for additional new singles and more to post over the days ahead preceding the release of Agonia.
Agonia Track Listing:
- Tectonic Plates
- Potion Of The Skies
- TAR
- Further From Ordeal
- Excursus Ignis
- Aurora
- Debris
- Wounds Unhealed
- Les Ruines De Pompei
REDEMPTOR was formed in 2001 by Daniel Kesler (Only Sons, Sothoth ex-Sceptic), recording two demos in its first lineup. The debut album, None Pointless Balance, was recorded in 2005, while the band played many concerts, paving the way for a new chapter of their activity.
2007 brought with it revolutionary changes in the lineup, with well-known Polish artists such as vocalist Michał Xaay Loranc (responsible for the graphics of Nile, Pestilence, and many others), drummer Jakub Chmura (Sceptic, Thy Disease), guitarist Konrad Rossa (Decrepit Birth, Decapitated, Sothoth), and bassist Andrzej Pichlinski (Privateer) joining the band, recording the new demo, Nanosynthesis, performing together through 2010.
In 2011, Hubert Więcek (Banisher, ex-Decapitated, ex-Acid Drinkers) replaced Konrad Rossa on guitar and Piotr Tokarz joined on bass. In this lineup, REDEMPTOR played many concerts and recorded the 4th Density EP. In 2014, longtime drummer Jakub Chmura left the band, his place was taken by Kerim Lechner (ex-Decapitated, Septicflesh) as session drummer, and recording on the band’s self-released second full-length, The Jugglernaut, which was very positively received by fans and critics alike.
The next few years of the band’s activity marked a new era and a significant change of musical direction. In 2017 the band signed with Polish label Selfmadegod Records, releasing their third album, Arthaneum. At this time, Paweł Pavulon Jaroszewicz – then performing with Vader, Decapitated, Hate, and Antigama – became the new drummer, and Arthaneum was realized as the band’s greatest success, the album receiving enthusiastic reviews and greatly expanding their fanbase.
In 2018, Selfmadegod released The Becoming [2005-2011], a collection of REDEMPTOR recordings which compiles a reissue of None Pointless Balance, the Nanosynthesis demo, and the 4th Density EP. Now, as 2021 draws to a close, the band delivers their massive Agonia LP via Selfmadegod, with drums recorded by Daniel Rutkowski (Hate) bass from Kamil Stadnicki (Deivos, Ulcer, Only Sons).