THE BEAST

Today, long-running Mexican black-doom cult  Hagel  premiere the new track   "Blindness"   at heavily trafficked web-portal   MetalBite.com . The track is   the second to be revealed   from the band's long-awaited debut album,  Veneration of the Black Light , set for international release on May 21st via  Personal Records . Hear   Hagel 's "Blindness" in its entirety exclusively   HERE .

Formed back in 1995,   Hagel  are an atmospheric black-doom band hailing from Monterrey, Mexico. The original lineup comprised Carlos Velázquez (Ulveheim, Sacratus, Noctambulism) on guitar, Luis Galindo on keyboards and vocals, Fernando Galindo on bass, and David Benavides on drums. Due to personal reasons, the band went on hiatus in the year 2000. While recordings are rumored to exist,   Hagel  never publicly revealed any demos during this period.

In 2014, Carlos decided to re-form the band and started recruiting musicians to form the new lineup; not too long after, the new   Hagel  was reborn. The new lineup consisted of Juan Reyes (Buzrael) on drums, Elizabeth Castillo (S.O.Y.G) on bass, and Ivan Saldaña (Alpha Hydrae, Hiborym) on guitar and vocals. In 2017, one of the founding members, keyboardist Luis Galindo, rejoined the band.  

In 2019,   Hagel  entered the studio to record their first full-length, in a professional way. Bearing the title  Veneration of the Black Light , the record was finished, mixed, and mastered on December 2019, all before the world fell into chaos. In May 2020, the band gave their first preview with the single "Decalogue of Misery," an all-too- apropos  title for the times.

At long last, the full strength of   Hagel  is revealed with  Veneration of the Black Light .   Refreshingly retro or at least traditional,   Hagel   remain true to their original '90s vision with a sound favorably comparable to early Mortuary Drape, The Gathering circa  Always... , Switzerland's Sadness, 1992/93-era Katatonia, old Rotting Christ, Ophthalamia, Bethlehem circa  Dark Metal , and Moonspell's classic  Under the Moonspell . In other words, when everything was dark and foggy and shrouded in obscurity and mysticism, those glorious '90s...and   Hagel  resurrects that, with power and authenticity, across  Veneration of the Black Light -  because they were THERE. Reborn...undead!

Hear the next sounds of that undead rebirth with the brand-new track "Blindness" exclusively   HERE , courtesy of MetalBite.com. Hear the first sounds of that undead rebirth with the previously revealed "Decalogue of Misery"   HERE   at   Personal Records ' official YouTube channel. Cover and tracklisting are as follows:

Tracklisting for Hagel's  Veneration of the Black Light