DARKEND · Viaticum | BLACK LP

Black vinyl.

Background information about 'Viaticum'

"Viaticum" flows out from the Sacred Spaciousness beyond duality, enshrouding its Silent Nature with the voice of ancient ceremonial chants, dungeon synth ambience and sulphur riffs engraved on arcane metal patterns. Combining shades that span from Mercyful Fate to Dissection (“An Incautious Exhumation Of What Lies Beneath Forgotten Ground”) and from Dead Can Dance (“In Your Multitude”) to Arvo Pärt (“In My Multitude”), the album enlightens an immersive and cathartic pathway towards the deepest hidden fields of who we really are.

DARKEND is the band fronted by Animae (also guest vocalist for GAAHL’S WYRD on various European festivals & venues).

After rather humble beginnings mostly inspired by orchestral extreme metal, DARKEND developed a quite peculiar artistic style blending black metal patterns, ritual ambience, dark classic metal riffs and solos in the vein of Mercyful Fate/Angel Witch and a ritualistic, hypnotic vibe explicitly created in order to generate a deep sonic & spiritual transcendence.

Having toured Europe thrice alongside CRADLE OF FILTH, ROTTING CHRIST, SAMAEL, MELECHESH & KEEP OF KALESSIN, the band had the privilege to collaborate with some of the most renowned artists of the scene: while Attila Csihar (MAYHEM), Niklas Kvarforth (SHINING) & Sakis Tolis (ROTTING CHRIST) offered their voices for “The Canticle Of Shadows” (2016, Non Serviam Records), the profound friendship between Gaahl & Animae bloomed a breathtaking collaboration with WARDRUNA’s Lindy-Fay Hella immortalized on the album “Spiritual Resonance” (2019, Dark Essence Records).

The band displays some intense live rituals under their belt (culminated with an exhibition at the iconic Norwegian MIDGARDSBLOT FEST 2022 alongside WARDRUNA, HELIUNG & ROTTING CHRIST), an experience not to be missed.

Track listing

1. In My Multitude
2. An Incautious Exhumation of What Lies Beneath Forgotten Ground
3. De Masticatione Mortuorum in Tumulis
4. An Ancient Plague Has Silently Worn Our Garments As Its Throne
5. In Your Multitude

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