Idzie nowa ARKONA

 

In follow-up to 2019's acclaimed "Age of Capricorn", ARKONA are proud to present their eighth album, "Stella Pandora". The record showcases the Polish Black Metal pioneers at their most focused, intense, and melodically vigorous.

Powered by a watertight rhythm-section, the band create sweeping and elegiac arrangements of neo-classical, folk-infused vehemence. Windswept and elemental leads, textural orchestrations and pitch-perfect storytelling from cruel, anguished vocals propel emotive Black Metal of the highest quality.

Tracklist:

01. Pandora

02. Altaria

03. Necropolis

04. Elysium

05. Prometeus

06. Aurora

"Stella Pandora" was recorded, mixed and mastered at Heinrich House Studio in Spring 2024. The cover artwork and layout were crafted by Polish artist Maciej Kamuda (BLUT AUS NORD, ERSHETU).

Founding member, guitarist and composer Khorzon gives insight into the album's development:

"The songs for this album were created irregularly over the last three years. At first, I was just composing material, and in the end, I chose those six tracks that were closest to the concept I had envisioned. I wanted these tracks to refer musically to the albums "Lunaris" and our debut "Imperium". After I had recorded those six demo songs, I presented them to the rest of the band and we arranged the material live during several rehearsals. The last song of the album, namely 'Aurora', was composed together by guitarist Kaamos and me, by the way."

As an introduction to "Stella Pandora", ARKONA unveil a first track, 'Necropolis', accompanied by a lyric video created by Lyric Video Factory. Watch the clip here and listen to the song on Bandcamp:

Not to be confused with the Russian folk-metal act of the same name, Poland's ARKONA has been producing crushing Black Metal hymns since their inception in 1993. Devoid of excess frills and gimmicks, ARKONA present a compelling sound: galloping tremolo harmonies, relentless snare blasts and vitriolic snarls flow into brooding orchestral synths and crescendos of melancholic and melodic splendour.

In 2015, the band joined forces with Debemur Morti Productions, releasing the acclaimed "Lunaris" the following year — a haunted epic of primal and melodic Black Metal. In 2019, ARKONA unleashed most recent album, "Age of Capricorn", seven anthems of nihilistic fury, strident power, and masterfully integrated cinematic orchestration, punctuated by fierce, white-hot riffs and emotive melodies twisted into corruption.

Still operating with the same fervour that inspired band-leader Khorzon to found ARKONA, the Polish Horde have continued to perform onstage with frightening intensity at club shows and select festivals - such as Under the Black Sun - all the while crafting their magnificent eighth album "Stella Pandora", set to darken the sun on September 27th, 2024.