MOSS UPON THE SKULL - Dwelling on Charnel Grounds

Taken from the album "Quest For The Secret Fire" by MOSS UPON THE SKULL
(I, Voidhanger Records 2024)
CD / Digital release date: November 8th, 2024
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After almost 6 years of silently smoldering in the underground, Moss Upon The Skull is back with a second full length entitled “Quest For The Secret Fire”, dealing with the opposition between material and spiritual alchemy. The Secret Fire concept has its origin in the Chaldean Oracles of Zoroaster, and refers to the divine essence of the universe, towards which all matter yearns to move. The true spiritual alchemist continuously refines his spirit by rejecting trivial distractions and looking inward in order to approach this divine state whereas the fraudulent materialist alchemists only focus on short term sensory satisfaction, metaphorized by the production of gold for personal gain. The alchemical concept of repeated refinement is also a metaphor for the band’s constant dedication to the craft of narrative songwriting, fine-tuning every element of each song to maximize contrasts, tension and impact.
With this new record, the band shows more streamlined and captivating song structures, with melodic references to US Power Metal and influences from Eastern rhythms referring to the Arabic origins of alchemy, while still reserving enough space for progressive sidenotes to speak to the listener’s imagination and respect the adventurous nature of what extreme metal should be according to them.
Drums - Jense
Guitars, keys, vocals - Jef
Bass - Bart
Vocals - Jo