With a passion for the brutal and grotesque, Canadian outfit A SCAR FOR THE WICKED return with the new album Acolythus, set to decimate on November 7th, 2024. Not for the faint hearted, unrelenting fast-paced onslaughts of the dark and heavy lie in wait.
The band comments on Acolythus:
"This release contains 9 tracks, each one embodying one of the 9 sins of hell. The songs delve into the dark narratives of heretic hooded figures, blending fierce riffs, aggressive drums, and vocals that range from high-pitched screams to low growls. Every songs off the album contains a solo. Prepare yourself for a journey through the infernal depths, brought to life through an intense and melodic soundscapes."
The dark and melodic "Seven Wraiths" opens the album and establishes the foreboding and dismal atmosphere with intense blast beats and riffs. "This track plunges into the fate of the unbaptized, who are cast into the first circle of hell. They face a harrowing choice: undergo a dark initiation to become wraiths, pledging themselves to a cult of damnation, or be cast to eternal despair in the river Acheron."
Showcasing some of A SCAR FOR THE WICKED's technical guitar work with crushing riffs, “The Ophidian Offspring” explores the sin of lust. While, the sin of gluttony is devoured through tension and intensity across the instruments in "Drowned In Gluttony". Track four, "Golden Touch Of Eternity", explores the theme of avarice "illustrated through the tragic story of King Midas." The band explain. "His insatiable greed leads him to wish that everything he touches turns to gold. This wish becomes a curse, as he finds himself unable to eat or drink, ultimately starving to death."
Self-hatred and suicide are the focus of "Despicable Existence". This powerful melodic metal features a haunting and contrasting neoclassical chorus, enhancing the atmospheric soundscape. The title track brings melodic riffs and technical solos, with a catchy and memorable moments. The band explains, "Acolythus" "delves into the sin of blasphemy, focusing on the sixth circle of hell. The song portrays a dark, twisted depiction of a cult devoted to the dark lord, presenting an inverted version of Christ through rituals of blood and sacrilege."
Contrasting fast riffs and headbanging groove accompany the journey into the seventh circle of hell in "Into A Coalescent Damnation", before diving into the technical and melodic "Sacrificial Genocide" and the sin of fraud. "Son Of Dawn" concludes the album with the sin of treachery. The track recounts "the downfall of Lucifer through the perspective of his acolytes. [...] The song was the last written for the album, hinting at future directions for the band."
About A SCAR FOR THE WICKED:
Based out of Ottawa, Ontario, Canada, the ensemble formed in 2011 drawing primary influences from the likes of THE BLACK DHALIA MURDER, DIMMU BORGIR, THE ZENITH PASSAGE, and BELPHEGOR, and the gory blood-soaked realms of horror. The following year saw the release of the debut EP Scars, with subsequent EPs The Necrobutcher and The Unholy landing in 2014 and 2018 respectively. Across their career, the band have brought their unyielding energy to festivals around their home state, and notably have shared stages with heavyweight acts including WHITECHAPEL, THY ART IS MURDER, BORN OF OSIRIS, ARCHSPIRE, and CHELSEA GRIN.
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