PRESS RELEASE:
Italian progressive/gothic extreme metallers HORTUS ANIMAE have announced a special reissue of their classic album "Waltzing Mephisto", originally released via Black Lotus Records in 2003.
This brand new "20th Anniversary" edition, due out on October 31st 2023 via Symbol of Domination / BlackHeavens Music, will be available in 2-CD format, containing several bonus tracks, including a cover version of "You're Dead" from American singer-songwriter Norma Tanega, now famous for being the theme of the TV series "What We Do in the Shadows". The song premiered at No Clean Singing. Stream it HERE.
A new lyric video for the album track "Enter" is also available at THIS LOCATION.
Tracklist:
CD 1 – Waltzing Mephisto
01. Enter (Part 1)
02. Enter (Part 2)
03. A Lifetime Obscurity (Part 1)
04. A Lifetime Obscurity (Part 2)
05. Springtime Deaths
06. Souls of the Cold Wind
07. Welcome the Godless
08. Freezing Moon including Terzo Incontro and Tubular Bells (Mayhem / Il Balletto di Bronzo / Mike Oldfield covers)
09. A Feeble Light of Hope
10. You're Dead (Part 1) (Norma Tanega cover) [bonus track]
11. You're Dead (Part 2) (Norma Tanega cover) [bonus track]
CD 2 – Godless Years Live
01. A Dream of Wolves in the Snow (Cradle Of Filth cover)
02. Locusts
03. God and His Disgusting Children
04. Chamber of Endless Nightmares
05. At the End of Doomsday (Parts 2 & 3)
06. Aqualung (Jethro Tull cover)
07. Medley (I - In Adoration of the Weeping Skies / II - Cruciatus Tacitus / III - Souls of the Cold Wind)
08. There's No Sanctuary
09. Across the Sea of Pain
10. The Bless of Eternal Bleeding
11. Raining Blood (Slayer cover)
12. Aqualung (Jethro Tull cover) [bonus track]
HORTUS ANIMAE is a progressive/gothic extreme metal band formed in 1997 in Rimini (Romagna, Italy). After the release of their self-produced debut “The Melting Idols”, they began an intense live streak with bands such as Lacuna Coil, Konkhra, Ancient, Mortuary Drape and Napalm Death. At this point, they recorded their second album and first official release “Waltzing Mephisto”. Following the recording, the band signed a deal with Greek label Black Lotus Records in October 2002 and subsequently with Sleaszy Rider Records (EMI distribution) for their third chapter, the concept album “The Blow of Furious Winds”, in May 2005. The band has since achieved cult status within the extreme metal underground, partly due to their secretive live appearances, but mainly due to their unique and eclectic blend of styles and cover songs.
Their music draws influences from 70s progressive rock, gothic, classical and ambient. All blended with their original form of death/black metal. HORTUS ANIMAE have always incorporated instruments such as piano, viola, violin, mandolin, synth, and very diverse vocal styles into their music. This was rare and uncommon during those years. In between the two albums, the band appeared with another 'now cult' cover song on the Black Lotus Records' release, “The Lotus Eaters: Tribute to Dead Can Dance”. HORTUS ANIMAE recorded their metalized epic interpretation of "Windfall" and "Summoning of the Muse" featuring a joint effort with gothic singer Liv Kristine (Theatre of Tragedy, Leaves’ Eyes, Cradle of Filth) on lead vocals.
The group disbanded on 18 January 2006, yet, years after their split they released a 10th anniversary commemorative boxset (now sold out) called “Funeral Nation: 10 years of Hortus Animae” through Sleaszy Rider Records. Following increasing requests and popularity in the underground, HORTUS ANIMAE teamed up with Thrash Corner Records (USA) to release their definitive collection in 2012, aptly called “Funeral Nation MMXII”.
On 25 January 2013, the band officially stated that the time was ripe for their comeback, under the guiding light of the renowned producer and sound engineer Simone Mularoni (DGM, empYrios), which was also the band's session bass player, they produced “Secular Music”, released in 2014 by the British rock label Flicknife Records (Hawkwind, etc.). Simultaneously, a double CD of rare and unreleased material called “Godless Years” was released. New members joined, Adamant on bass and MG Desmadre (Crawling Chaos) on guitars and two years later the band teamed up again with Liv Kristine for the “There’s No Sanctuary” maxi EP, which also contained cover songs from the Norwegian cult black metal scene. To promote this release HORTUS ANIMAE embarked on a tour with the German thrash metal titans Necronomicon, and travelled through East Europe. The final date of this tour gave origin to “Piove Sangue - Live in Banská Bystrica” that was released later in 2018 celebrating 20 years of activity of the band. The same year another commemorative live album was released, “Live at Velvet - April the 14th, 2001”, official bootleg soundboard recording taken during a gig with Lacuna Coil.
Due to the great distance with Grom (USA), the band began collaborating with drummer Jotunn (from the band Outer). The outcome of this collaboration gave birth to "Godless Years Live" (bonus CD for the 20th Anniversary edition of “Waltzing Mephisto”) and "You're Dead Pt. 1 & 2" (bonus tracks for the same release). The band is currently involved in the songwriting process for their next album. "Waltzing Mephisto" 20th Anniversary edition of HORTUS ANIMAE's cult debut album, now presented in a double CD, which features bonus tracks and a completely unreleased bonus live disc. The Italian wizards of avantgarde extreme metal waltz again. Album out on October 31, 2023. Happy Halloween!
Line-up:
Martyr Lucifer – vocals
Hypnos – guitars
Bless – synth, piano, keyboards
MG Desmadre – guitars
Adamant – bass
Jotunn – drums
HORTUS ANIMAE
http://hortusanimae.bandcamp.com/
https://www.facebook.com/HortusAnimae/
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