ARKHUM UPDATE (INCLUDING A PREMIERE OF NEW MUSIC)

There’s a happy symmetry about this post. Exactly one year ago today we posted our review of Anno Universum, the debut album from Oregon’s Arkhum, along with an interview of brothers Stephen and Kenneth Parker. On that day, we were thrilled to report that Arkhum had signed with Vendlus Records, who released Anno Universum last fall. We were “early adopters” of Arkhum’s music, but over the last year they’ve racked up a slew of positive reviews worldwide and enthusiastic fan response to Anno Universum.

The band are now working on songs for their second album for Vendlus, with the goal of releasing it in 2012, and on this one-year anniversary of those previous posts, we have a few tastes of what’s to come. First, we have the premiere of a pre-production version of a brand new song called “Cenancestor”, which will appear on the next album. The vocals and instrumentals are scratch tracks and the recording reflects a rough mixing and mastering, but this is still a sweet song, and you’ll be able to download it.

Second, we’ve also got some icing on this cake — we’re also premiering video of the band’s excellent guitarist Stephen Parker playing along to “Cenancestor”.

Today also marks the official digital release of a new, three-song Arkhum EP called Olalain Linal Tutulu. It features a reimagined version of the song “Bloodgutter Encircling” from Anno, a remix of the song by electronic artist Beta Project, and a remixed, remastered version of the “Bloodgutter” track as it appeared on the album. We’ll give you a link for a free download of this EP. Stay with us after the jump for all this fine shit.

First, here’s the pre-production version of that brand-new Arkhum song, “Cenancestor”:

[soundcloud url=”http://api.soundcloud.com/tracks/21533800″]

Next, here’s the video of Stephen Parker playing along to “Cenancestor”:

And finally, below is a link that will take you to Mediafire, where you’ll be able to download Arkhum’s new EP. But first, feast your ears on the band’s reimagining of “Bloodgutter Encircling”, which bears the title of the EP — “Olalain Linal Tutulu”. Actually, it’s more accurate to say that this song will feast on your ears, and the rest of your fleshy parts, too. It’s the darkest, most ravenouslly bestial, most demonically down-tuned thing I’ve yet heard from Arkhum. It’s a poisonous cloud of grinding distortion — but it ends by blanketing you with a shroud of melancholy beauty. You’ll hear what I mean. I fuckin’ love this song.

[audio:https://www.nocleansinging.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/08/1-Olalain-Linal-Tutulu.mp3|titles=Arkhum – Olalain Linal Tutulu]

Now here’s the download link:

Olalain Linal Tutulu

I guess it goes without saying, but I’ll say it anyway: If you don’t yet have Anno Universum, you should go get it without delay.