NEWS: Artanor announce “In Servitude of Darkness”!

Australian record label Gutter Prince Cabal have announced the debut album “In Servitude of Darkness” from New South Wales Black Metal solo project Artanor will be distributed by them on 27th July. Born from the ashes of Fen Hollen the project is conjured from the mind of Menelyagor who has created a bleak soundscape of devilish riffs and ice cold atmospheres. Something of a concept release, the album weaves an epic tale of a realm hanging in the balance. Meklarah is under threat from the sinister machinations of the devious necromancer Rakinar. The only thing standing in the way of his plan to destroy all life are his children and their allies. This tale of might and magic is set to the strains of blistering black metal that will captivate the imagination and inflame the soul… Pre-orders are of course available over at bandcamp.

Menelyagor comments: “Artanor is a solo project that emerged in 2006 after [my previous band] Fen Hollen. Creatively, I’d been sitting on a conglomeration of ideas for some time as my family and managing life’s sufferings took a front seat. Then spontaneously, one night, I diverted and began writing what quickly became the bulk of a high fantasy novel for a bit of personal fun, The Rise of Meklarah.

In Servitude of Darkness is a release of sounds that accompanied the atmosphere of the story as the novel was written. Naturally, the album could then only be lyrically based on the stories events and actions of its characters, which was somewhat of a relief because it allowed me to reduce exposure to the more personal perspectives that I generally associate with and relate to when I listen to black metal.

‘Sons of the Rock’ is about the necromancer Rakinar and his head minion, Lauw, and their attempt to discover what the Mûrkar (elemental ground dwellers that live and work amongst the humans), are up to. While it is obvious to Rakinar they are forging weapons, armor and tools for the humans, they appear to be forging something far more important, in secret.”