THE BEAST

Official video for 'Bloeddraad', the first track taken from the 2nd Iskandr full-length 'Vergezicht', out September 24th on various formats → https://ffm.to/vergezicht Subscribe for more music! → https://bit.ly/3mv92Vx Video created by Teresa Elizabeth Lobos → https://www.lagomorphosis.com Iskandr, the enigmatic heathen black metal project by creator O, returns in the autumn of the year MMXXI with their third full-length album. In two albums and two EP’s spread out between MMXVI and now, the project has seen an interesting arc of development from spacious atmospheres and regal solitude towards both a more battle hardened aggression as well as elaborate acoustic instrumentation. The new album “Vergezicht” not only delivers on what these earlier releases promised but further elevates Iskandr into higher planes of compositional complexity. Utilising a variety of electric and acoustic instruments – as well as a wide array of vocal techniques – the sound of Iskandr has ventured further into realms of monumental sonic architecture. The fruitful collaboration between O’s musical direction and engineering, and M. Koop’s foundational drumming, provides a degree of clarity and forcefulness to the record that goes well beyond anything put out under the Haeresis Noviomagi banners until now. The regal triumphalism of its MMXVIII predecessor “Euprosopon” is further expanded upon, yielding six hymns chronicling stories of heroic resistance, deceit and regeneration. Opener ‘Gezag’ gradually builds an atmosphere of mythical pastoralism before diving into a combative mid paced epic that transports the listener into a realm both imagined and real, a past without a present. ‘Bloeddraad’ solidifies the established sound of “Vergezicht” and cascades into a grand finale reminiscent of Bathory’s “Hammerheart”. Throughout the tracks ‘Gewesten der Tijd’, ‘Baken’ and ‘Verbod’, Iskandr meanders between windswept adventurism and stoic martial registers, culminating in the splendor of ‘Verbod’s ending. Closing track ‘Het Slot’, the longest and most aggressive, while ending in a highly devotional ambiance, reaffirms this record as a terrifically ambitious undertaking. Drawing equally from Bathory’s mid era albums, King Crimson’s “In the Court of the Crimson King”, the early works of both Enslaved and Hades, as well as Neurosis’ “A Sun that Never Sets”, “Vergezicht” signifies a crowning moment in this era of Iskandr. Six majestic paeans to those whose banners are only illuminated by the fires of rebellion. An ode to resistance and refusal to admit defeat in the face of a great devouring chasm. O: vocals · electric guitars · acoustic guitars bass guitar · electric organ · orchestra chimes choir vocals · tambourine · trumpet · piano M. Koops: drums Vergezicht was recorded, engineered, produced and mixed by O in Wageningen, Nijmegen, Utrecht, Ede and Rotterdam Field recordings captured at Veluwezoom, Oud Reemst, Groenekan, Berg en Dal and Wageningen Mastered by Greg Chandler at Priory Recording Studios Photography by O Band photography by Twan Dan ⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯ ISKANDR Records, Merch, and more: Eisenwald Store (EU/World) → https://store.eisenton.de Haeresis Noviomagi Store (EU/World) → https://haeresisnoviomagi.com/store Eisenwald Store (US) → https://store.eisenton.com Iskandr Bandcamp (World) → https://iskandr.bandcamp.com ⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯ Subscribe to our YouTube channel for more music, videos, and frequent updates → http://www.youtube.com/subscription_center?add_user=Eisenwaldofficial Join our Spotify playlists for weekly updates on new songs and the latest releases from our camp → http://open.spotify.com/user/eisenwald_official Get our newsletter → https://store.eisenton.de/newsletter More music from ISKANDR on our channel → https://youtube.com/playlist?list=PLnggsd8rrA06I07bcZXqhNciR8L4JaIG4 ⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯ Follow ISKANDR → Website https://haeresisnoviomagi.com/iskandr Bandcamp https://iskandr.bandcamp.com Facebook https://www.facebook.com/haeresisnoviomagi Instagram https://www.instagram.com/omariskandr Follow EISENWALD → Youtube https://bitly.com/eisenwald-youtube Website http://www.eisenton.de Instagram https://www.instagram.com/eisenwald.official Bandcamp http://records.eisenton.de Spotify http://open.spotify.com/user/eisenwald_official Facebook http://www.facebook.com/Eisenwaldofficial Twitter http://twitter.com/EisenwaldHammer