Today, Eternal Death announces July 31st as the international release date for Ceremonial Worship's highly anticipated third album, Between Sleep and Death, on CD format.
Hailing from Hellas itself, Ceremonial Worship formed in 2016 as the singular creation of High Priest C.W. A couple EPs followed during the band's first few years of existence, but in 2021, Ceremonial Worship delivered its first recording under the banner of Eternal Death with a split tape with Filipino comrades Omenfilth, jointly titled The Pact of Morbid Conspiracy.
While the band's first full-length came at the beginning of 2022, titled Ode to Dionyssus but in a very limited edition, the subsequent Seven Gateways to Eternal Misanthropy later that year was regarded as Ceremonial Worship's true debut album. Again released by Eternal Death, that record saw the band moving away from classic-styled Hellenic black metal toward something more abstract. Weird & wild riffing colliding with suitably anguished vocals, the pulse both distant and forceful, and the sum effect most definitely disturbing: Seven Gateways to Eternal Misanthropy was truly titled.
In 2025, Ceremonial Worship were reborn stronger than ever - dark, unholy, with the sole purpose of delivering chaos! The Whisperer of Night, who performed vocals on 2018's Esoteron EP, returned sharper than ever. Two new members also joined: Petros P. invoking demons on bass, and George K. bombarding on drums. High Priest C.W. remains on guitars, unleashing the darkness in all its glory.
The result: Between Sleep and Death. Still proudly Hellenic, Ceremonial Worship's third album likewise harkens to ancient times, but instead of the "Big Three" of Greek black metal (Rotting Christ, Varathron, Necromantia), there's overt tinges of Hellenic BM's second wave, such as early Kawir, Legion of Doom, Nocternity, or even mid-period Nightfall. However, the quartet's personality and identity come through with full fucking force here; that they combine so compellingly the respectively unique pulses of the two waves is what invites such references, coupled with an almost martial execution and a regal-yet-rowdy production. Atmosphere and aggression thus devour each other like the Ouroboros, and wanderlust is invoked across eight strident & succinct hymns, altogether making for an honorable new era for Ceremonial Worship. The dragon has awakened!
In the meantime, hear the brand-new track "Hate Spells" HERE at Eternal Death's Bandcamp, where the album can also be preordered. Cover and tracklisting are as follows:
Tracklisting for Ceremonial Worship's Between Sleep and Death
1. Intro
2. Hate Spells
3. Towards Nothingness
4. Cursed Abominations
5. Where the Shadow Awakes
6. Esoteric Struggle
7. Shadows From Hell
8. Pantheon of Suffering
9. Tower of Endless Nights
