It’s so nice when the sights and sounds of a music video come together in a well-crafted partnership, when what you hear and what you see each proves to be engrossing and when, together, they complement each other. That’s the kind of success achieved in the new song and video we’re bringing you from the Siberian band Ultar. The song’s name is “Azathoth” and it appears on the band’s new album Kadath, which will be released on October 21 by Temple of Torturous.
Ultar is a new name for the band, who previously were known as Deafknife. They make their home in the town of Krasnoyarsk, nestled among howling Siberian woods and red mountains. Their album is described in concept as “a journey of a young man to the Kadath -– Lovecraftian divine City of Gods, hidden in the Land of Dreams”, but also as the great lifelong journey that we each make in “search of ourselves and our inner freedom that will light the way”.
“Azathoth” is cast in shades of light and dark, soft and loud. It moves from moments that are ethereal and evanescent to passages of surging intensity and power. In part it’s spellbinding and mystical, and in part it’s hard-driving and physically compulsive — both moodily atmospheric and intensely ravaging. The song also includes varied (and impassioned) vocals — most of which are savagely inflamed.
The beautifully filmed video is a match for the music, capturing both the unearthly mystery in the song as well as its driving physicality.
In genre terms, the band could be thought of as sonic alchemists who blend ingredients from black metal, post-metal, and shoegaze, with a talent for creating dramatic melodies that have emotional intensity as well as staying power. Five more tracks accompany “Azathoth” on Kadath — three more long ones and two shorter instrumental pieces. Here’s the track list:
01 Nyarlathotep
02 Azathoth
03 Shores of the Sleeping Seas
04 Xasthur
05 The Ancient Ones
06 Kadath
Kadath was mastered by Mell Dettmer (Sunn o))), Fyrnask, Earth, Below The Sun, etc). It can soon be pre-ordered in a digipack edition here:
http://templeoftorturous.com/shop/product_info.php?products_id=462
Web Links:
https://www.facebook.com/Ultarband/
http://www.templeoftorturous.com
http://www.facebook.com/ToTRecords
http://www.templeoftorturous.bandcamp.com
8 Responses to “AN NCS VIDEO PREMIERE: ULTAR — “AZATHOTH””
Leave a Reply
This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.
Good stuff once again Islander!
Glad you like it!
Very nice video, and the music sounds alluring. As you say, they come together perfectly.
I really dig it. The video certainly enhances the song and vice versa. It reminds me a bit of the Wrvth release from last year in a good way. And as far as metal tropes go I never tire of the use of Lovecraft, existential dread seems like an infinite well to dip into for great material. As opposed to you know, Fear Factory releasing yet another album about machines. Or every other tech death band’s near obsession with outer space. Great share!
Thank you sir. I’ve learned from a Siberian friend that scenes in the video were filmed near Krasnoyarsk, on the shore of Yenisei river. Gorgeous.
Certainly looks like https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Stolby_Nature_Sanctuary
Nevermind, wasn’t it. It’s a place ~200 km away from Krasnoyarsk, also a natural landmark.
I’m WAY late to this, but this video is absolutely gorgeous, not to mention with a fantastic song behind it from a band I really need to delve into now.