MALEDICTUS is a Portuguese metal band formed in Lisbon, creating dark, powerful and atmospheric heavy music, with aggressive riffs, haunting melodies and emotional vocals.
Today, MALEDICTUS release their debut album “Lazarvs“, along with a new video for the song “Crypt of Dreams“.
“Today, we finally share LAZARVS with the world. This album carries everything we have poured into Maledictus: our struggles, our convictions and our determination to create a new beginning. Releasing it is a deeply personal milestone, and we mark this moment with the video for ‘Crypt of Dreams’, one of the first songs we ever wrote that confronts some of the darkest emotions at the heart of the record. The video shows a lot of our shared history over the past two years since we started with Maledictus. Really hope that everyone enjoys taking a look at some of our most fun and enjoyable moments together so far.”
“‘Crypt of Dreams’ is about dealing with guilt and resentment when dreams fall apart. It explores how pride, shame and denial can prevent someone from accepting what happened and moving forward. Rather than acknowledging their own responsibility, they blame a curse or circumstances beyond their control, even though they know this is an excuse. The song closes with a call to break that cycle by facing the truth. This connects with the central theme of LAZARVS: confronting the past and finding a way to begin again”, comments the band.
Order/Stream “Lazarvs”: https://save-it.cc/fireflash/lazarvs
Get the album on CD, Vinyl & Merch Bundles on Bandcamp: https://ff-maledictus.bandcamp.com/album/lazarvs
The group was formed by musicians seeking to explore a heavier and more expressive sound, combining technical musicianship with compelling songwriting and a cinematic atmosphere. Their music strikes a balance between intensity and melody, moving between crushing guitar passages, dynamic rhythms, and dramatic vocal performances. “Our music reflects who we are and how we process life and our own emotions. Music is life manifested through an artist’s soul. We all process life with a sense of dark melancholy”, comments guitarist Ben Stockwell. As history has taught us, Portuguese metal bands are known for their melancholic sound, which reflects their cultural identity.
Since their formation, MALEDICTUS has been focused on creating music that reflects the darker and more emotional aspects of the metal genre. Drawing inspiration from classic and contemporary metal acts, the band aims to create a sound that feels familiar yet distinct, appealing to fans of powerful, atmospheric metal.
Boasting a line-up of seasoned performers and a clear artistic vision, MALEDICTUS is developing new material and establishing its presence in the Portuguese metal scene and beyond. Their debut album, „Lazarvs“, is set to be released on Friday 13th of November. The album title draws heavily on the biblical story of Lazarus in the Gospel of John, in which Jesus performs the great miracle of raising his deceased friend Lazarus from the dead after he had been in the tomb for four days.
“We wanted it to have that poetic twist of a second coming,” says the guitarist, hinting at the band members’ past in SEVENTH STORM, who released their critically acclaimed debut album, „Maledictus“, in 2022. Two years later, four members left to form MALEDICTUS. „The core of the music-writing team from Seventh Storm stayed the same, so the sound of Maledictus might sound somewhat familiar. However, Peter Crushes brought a new style of rhythm section and melodies, which have contributed to the band’s unique sound. „Lazarvs“ is a spiritual follow-up to our previous work,“ states Ben Stockwell, who is totally satisfied with the final result. „We are extremely proud of all the tracks. The result exceeded our initial expectations. We knew it had potential, and as the good ideas came, so did the inspiration to raise the bar with each song.“
With Rez on vocals, the band has an exceptional singer with a distinctive, powerful voice. „He is undoubtedly one of the best out there having power, soul, range and a unique timbre. Everything fits perfectly with our sound. We couldn’t have asked for a better voice or frontman“, says the guitarist. Rez’s lyrics are another perfect addition to the band’s dark, epic and partly progressive sound. The lyrical themes focus on life’s darkest moments. „Death brings an opportunity for renewal, as do our most difficult struggles, which require part of us to die in order to be overcome.“
MALEDICTUS live:
Maledictus “LAZARVS” Live Debut
Saturday, 5th of December (Time: 21.00)
Venue: Lisbon, República da Música
MALEDICTUS is:
Rez — vocals
Ben Stockwell — guitar
Butch Cid — bass
Peter Crushes — drums
MALEDICTUS online:
Facebook – http://facebook.com/themaledictusband
Instagram – https://www.instagram.com/themaledictusband
YouTube – https://www.youtube.com/@TheMaledictusband
TikTok – https://www.tiktok.com/@themaledictusband
Linktr.ee – https://linktr.ee/themaledictusband
