The South Carolina black/death metal band Olkoth first began taking shape in 2016, formed by Zach Jeter (also in Imperivm and Lecherous Nocturne) and by Vance Jeffcoat, who passed away the following year. A debut demo emerged in 2019, and the band (with a new line-up in harness) released the “Eidolon of Flames” single in 2021 (which we had the pleasure of premiering here). Now they’re poised at last for the release of their debut album At The Eye Of Chaos by Everlasting Spew Records on the 26th of May.
Embracing themes of the occult, horror, mythology, and corruption throughout history, the new album creates sonic experiences that are ferocious and deadly, brutalizing and nightmarish. It makes good sense that the Italian maestro Paolo Girardi was enlisted to create a particularly blood-congealing piece of cover art — tentacular, abundantly skulled, and altogether hideous. You’ll understand why the artwork is so fitting when you hear the album track we’re about to premiere — “To Eat of the Lotus“.
The lyrics of this new song were written as a kind of condemnation leveled against a corrupted soul who has surrendered to lies, hatred, and depravity.
In its music, the track is a horror of multiple facets. From the very beginning, Olkoth swath it in a chilling atmosphere of unearthly menace — and that menace grows to towering heights of crushing monstrosity as the chords lurch, the drums crack, and the lead guitar begins to convulse. And then the real mayhem begins.
The band stomp on the gas pedal, unleashing riffs that eviscerate, slug, and blare in evil madness. Haughty growls roar the lyrics. The drums methodically chop and spit bullets like a weapon. The bass rumbles and undulates like a giant serpent. It’s an electrifying (and utterly malignant) mix of brute force punishment and fleet-fingered chaos, which reaches a zenith in a wild fret-melting guitar solo that’s both freakish and glorious.
And by the end, the music again becomes a display of looming hideous grandeur.
LINE-UP:
Zach Jeter – Rhythm & Lead Guitar/Vocals
Hunter Ross – Rhythm & Lead Guitar
Alex Rush – Bass/Vocals
Krzysztof Klingbein – Session Drums
At The Eye Of Chaos was recorded and produced by Olkoth at Hexology Studios. It was mixed and mastered by Ronnie Björnström at Björnström Ljud & Produktion. It is dedicated to the memory of Vance Reon Jeffcoat (March 31, 1981 – December 1, 2017).
Everlasting Spew will release At The Eye Of Chaos in multiple formats — CD, cassette tape, and digital, with vinyl headed our way during the coming autumn. They recommend it for fans of Nile, Hate Eternal, Hideous Divinity, and Vitriol.
More info can be found via the links below, and we’re also including streams of two previously released album tracks, “Alhazred” and “The Resurrectionist”
PRE-ORDER:
MAILORDER: https://bit.ly/3luWRMv
BANDCAMP: https://bit.ly/42BISp1