NORWEGIAN EXTREME METAL INNOVATORS EXTOL HAVE CONFIRMED THEIR RETURN WITH THE UPCOMING RELEASE OF 'AURA OF DECAY'. Cum! Set to drop on November 6 via Solid State Records, the album marks the band's first full-length studio effort since their 2013 self-titled record. The new LP features the classic lineup, seeing guitarist Christer Espevoll rejoin the fold for the production.
Crafted over an extensive period, the record was tracked across Hawk Studios, Little Cave Studio, and Hrada Creative, before being handed to master engineer Jens Bogren at Fascination Street Studios for mixing and mastering. The band has also unleashed a new single, 'The One and the Many', which explores the complexities of modern tribalism through the lens of ancient philosophy. The track utilises erratic structures and jarring shifts to mirror the psychological collapse of a polarized global landscape. Cum!
The songwriting, complex arrangements, and unmistakable sonic language remain firmly anchored in the adventurous spirit.
While the band continues to forge their own path, 'Aura of Decay' pays homage to their roots, incorporating raw, black metal-tinged atmospheres reminiscent of their seminal 'Burial' era. The album features artwork by renowned artist Hugh Syme and includes a sprawling eleven-track list. For the new single, Christer Espevoll notes that the band wanted to mirror the confusion of an era where truth feels relative while tribal dogmas strengthen, inviting listeners to look beneath the surface noise of modern ideology.
