Italian architects of esoteric extreme metal URNA will release their new album, “The Great Jihad”, on October 16th, 2026 via ATMF, the label that has supported the band since their landmark full-length “Sepulcrum”.
The first single “Second of Three” is streaming HERE.
More poisonous and tense than its predecessors, “The Great Jihad” retains the crushing atmosphere and funeral doom connection that have long defined URNA, while pushing their faster passages towards a harsher, more abrasive form of black metal. Amid the weight and aggression, vast, sideral melodies emerge from the darkness, adding a solemn dimension to an album steeped in occult and esoteric atmospheres. The result is a work that feels both familiar and renewed, balancing oppressive density with moments of stark, otherworldly beauty.
For the first time, URNA present an album with lyrics entirely in English. With the exception of their 2003 debut “Justa Funebria”, originally performed in Italian, the band’s releases have traditionally employed Latin. The conceptual framework once again expands RM‘s personal spiritual journey through Hermetism, approaching the notion of duality from an esoteric perspective and exploring its many manifestations.
“The Great Jihad” also introduces new collaborators to the lineup, with Sibilans (Anamnesi, Simulacro) on drums and T (Sangue Nero) on bass. The album was recorded through multiple sessions between 2014 and 2025, across Italy and the United Kingdom, before being mixed and mastered at MZ’s 322 Studio in early 2026. The artwork was created by Francesco Gemelli.
Tracklist:
Creator
01. First of Three
02. Second of Three
03. Third of Three
Created
04. The Great Jihad
05. Dream Death, Towards Rebirth
06. Four Levels of Infinite Splendour
Active in the extreme metal underground for more than two decades, URNA emerged in 2003 with “Justa Funebria” before attracting the attention of ATMF, which released “Sepulcrum” as its first label release. Their sound soon expanded from abrasive black metal into funeral doom, electronics and increasingly esoteric atmospheres. “Iter ad Lucem” (2009) and “Mors Principium Est” (2013) further developed this uncompromising vision, with the latter closing a cycle that had begun with their debut.
Early demos for “The Great Jihad” were already taking shape after “Mors Principium Est”, but the project subsequently entered a prolonged hiatus. Recording resumed years later before the pandemic forced another interruption. In 2025, URNA finally completed the album, bringing a journey that began more than a decade ago to its intended conclusion.
Much has changed since 2003. URNA have not.
Line-up:
MZ – Guitars, Synths
RM – Vocals
Sibilans – Drums
T – Bass
More info: https://urna.bandcamp.com/
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