Ljungskile, Sweden-based death/doom ritualists Runemagick have announced the upcoming release of their fourteenth full-length album. The new record, titled Cycle of the Dying Sun (Dawn of Ashen Realms), is set to be released on CD, LP, and digital formats. Pre-orders are available now in a number of formats.
This album marks a significant shift for the band, as it is now the singular vision of founder Nicklas Rudolfsson. While Runemagick reformed as a quartet in 2017 and subsequently released three LPs, this fourth album since their reformation sees Rudolfsson handling the roles of primary author, producer, and performer. He is credited with vocals, guitars, bass, synth, and drums.
Despite the solo focus, the album does feature contributions from two guest vocalists, including Lussidotter (who appears on the track “Old Bones”), and a dulcimer player. The album’s production was completed with mixing and mastering by the legendary Andy La Rocque at Sonic Train Studios.
Described as a post-apocalyptic concept album, the lyrics delve into themes of “Norn-spun fate and a prophesied solar death.” The sound is said to be intentionally stripped down to a raw yet broadly resonant feel, focusing on the main rhythm guitar and vocals.
Fans should note a significant difference between the release formats. The CD and digital versions will span 68 minutes, while the vinyl edition will omit four tracks, amounting to approximately 23 minutes of music. One of the extended tracks included on the digital and CD versions is “Spires of the Drowned Horizon”.
The album’s opener is the nearly eleven-minute dirge “Wyrd Unwoven”, which sets the ritualistic, slow-motion pace Runemagick is known for. Other tracks highlighted from the record include “Old Bones” and “Womb of the Veiled Sun”.
Runemagick, the brainchild of Rudolfsson (also of The Funeral Orchestra, ex-Sacramentum), has been a force in Swedish extreme metal since the early 90s, transitioning from black/death metal to a more experimental and psychedelic form of death/doom.
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