The Venezuelan black metal band Theurgia, now based in Bogotá, Colombia, has already built an impressive and continually ambitious and improving discography that consists of a 2015 EP (Anti perpetuo), a 2017 debut album (Transformation), and a 2020 split with Hacavitz and Veldraveth (Tercer nadir venenoso). Theurgia is now adding to those impressive records with a second full-length entitled VIRTUE, which will be released in mid-January by the Mexican label Vomit Records.
Trying to succinctly sum up Theurgia’s evolving music isn’t an easy task, but at a high level we can say that it has succeeded in creating haunting and disturbing occult atmospheric sensations and coupled those with viscerally powerful and significantly heavy rhythms and frighteningly impassioned vocals. The music is relentlessly dramatic, formidably savage, and immersive in its effects.
Those qualities (and others) come through again in the song we’re premiering today from VIRTUE, via a lyric video. Its name is “Irradiant“.
In “Irradiant” Theurgia methodically, and then more violently, build an atmosphere of extravagant esoteric mysticism and unearthly terror. Through an ebbing and flowing momentum it relentlessly draws the listener into an unsettling otherworld where dread powers dwell, and submerges us in its hypnotizing and harrowing sensations.
The momentum is mid-paced at first, the drums methodically pounding and rumbling while the riffing creates flares of discordance and generates grim, threatening vibrations. Cavernous, imperious roars enunciate the lyrics, and thereby enhance the ominous moods. Wailing tones pierce through the mass of dissonance, the tension builds, and then the tension breaks in a paroxysm of blasting drums, turbulent bass, boiling guitars that come in immersive and subversive waves, and vocals that rise up in unhinged howls.
The effect of the frenzy is near-overpowering, almost all-consuming. When it relents, it does so only to make way for a striking guitar solo (performed by guest musician N (from Selbst) that’s thoroughly supernatural in its sounds. The tempo returns to a menacing, stalking cadence, and then the rhythm section fall silent, allowing the music to again create a feeling of sinister peril before a final frightening sonic upheaval that reaches a breathtaking crescendo.
VIRTUE is again the solo work of Daemonae, accompanied by drummer Naberius. The live line-up of Theurgia also includes session members Thanatopsis (guitar and backing vocals), NOX I (bass), and drummer Naberius. In addition to N, the album also includes guest performances by Luzifaust (Kafirun), A. Buonanno (Hacavitz), and E (Cultum Interitum).
The new album was recorded in EL BUNKER STUDIOS (Bogotá, Colombia) by Markos Mejia, and it was mixed and mastered in Dae’s home studio. The stunning cover art was created by M. Doueihi, and the Theurgia sigil by BMS Illustrations.
Keep an eye on the links below for further info about the release of VIRTUE. After the links you’ll also find a stream of a previously released track from VIRTUE, entitled “Emanations“.
PURCHASE INFO:
https://es-la.facebook.com/vomitrecs/
THEURGIA LINKS:
https://www.facebook.com/theurgiaband
https://www.youtube.com/c/TheurgiaOficial
https://theurgia.bandcamp.com/