THE BEAST

IRON BONEHEAD PRODUCTIONS is proud to present the highly anticipated debut album of VESICANT, Shadows of Cleansing Iron. Hailing from New Zealand's fertile black/death underground, VESICANT create a constantly churning momentum of coil-and-release dynamics, draped in dread and doom and grinding to ash all who stand in their way. Verily, Shadows of Cleansing Iron is aptly titled: the duo's world-eating sound approximates the inexorable crush of hulking, rusty tanks lurking across battlefields from time immemorial.

VESICANT started as a serious band in 2014 when Profanum moved to Wellington and immediately began writing material with then-drummer Carnifex. In late 2014, Mordance joined on drums, who quickly became a core member - while assisting with lyrics, he also does vocals on Shadows of Cleansing Iron. Carnifex and Pravus had left the band prior to the full-length; their contributions can be found on our demo. VESICANT's core concept became the abject horrors and untold abysmal affliction for those men who fought in WWI - more specifically, "Vesicant" or gas attacks used as a method of psychological deterrence with intent to do physical bodily harm en masse. VESICANT's purpose isn't to glorify war, but merely an attempt to channel the intense feelings of those who lived or died during that hellish era.

Of course, neither side are excluded. We saw Entente and Central powers fighting in unison against a greater enemy: FEAR. Fear of losing their brothers in arms, fear of retreat, fear of embarrassing their nation's flag, fear of being torn apart by shrapnel, or worse... VESICANT's music is largely inspired by novels of the Great War, such as Ernst Jünger's Storm of Steel - in particular, the author's point of view that the war provided each man a stark purpose and direct path of ascension towards personal heroism and immortality. Other concepts buttress the overall carnage and harrowing annihilation of the Great War, such as nature's reverence for the sacrifice, yet its soil drinks up the blood of these men ambivalently.

For now, Shadows of Cleansing Iron is an aural assault of the most harrowing violent proportions. Darkness and despair mixed with confusion provides the basis while moments of heroism provide the smallest glimmering hope of survival.