St Louis, Missouri fantasy-driven technical death metal band SUMMONING THE LICH has announced their sophomore album, Under The Reviled Throne, which is to be released via Prosthetic Records on July 26. Alongside the album announcement, the band has shared the lead single and accompanying music video, My Horrors Unending. SUMMONING THE LICH head out on tour in support of Vale of Pnath and Abigail Williams this month in the United States, with full dates and details below.
Stream My Horrors Unending via Apple Music, TIDAL, Deezer, Bandcamp and Spotify.
Pre-order Under The Reviled Throne here.
Speaking on the album announcement, David Bruno (vocals) comments: “We are beyond excited to finally announce our next album with Prosthetic Records, Under The Reviled Throne. After conquering his enemies in the Kingdom of Rodor the Lich has succumb to his own madness and now targets dominion over all of the planet Arrias. This album tells of his horrific conquest of the continent as he makes his way to the eastern kingdom of Bastell intent on humanity’s destruction, the gathering of those who will stand against his wrath, and visions of the past events that have led us to these darkened days.
“This album thematically is definitely darker in tone than United In Chaos and we worked really hard to match the Lich’s ferocity and malevolence sonically whilst still trying to write catchy fun death metal. We returned to our producer wizard Jack Daniels at The Armory Recording Co who helped guide us and was instrumental in crafting this beast along with editing and programming assistance from Elisha Mullins. Then of course the master wizard John Douglass crushed it as well and made this thing really come to life”
Of My Horrors Unending, Bruno continues: “My Horrors Unending is one of my personal favorite songs we’ve written. It’s heavy as hell while keeping the energy high as the Kingdom of Bastell learns of the Lich’s imminent approach with his massive army of Sin, Witches, and corrupted humankind; all told by a messenger from their front line of defense. It’s also really the tipping point right before a major shift in the album and offers a solid representation of the tone of the album as a whole.”
Under The Reviled Throne tracklist:
1. Return to the Soil
2. Reviled Crystal Wielders
3. The Forest Feasts
4. My Horrors Unending
5. Bastell Dirge
6. The Carrion Fleet
7. Arrias Groans
8. Will to Survive
9. Potion Seller
10. The Void Gate
11. Praise to the Bog
After three years of extensive US touring and shows with the likes of Allageon, Gorod and Inferi among others, as well as headline stints, SUMMONING THE LICH set about bringing Under the Reviled Throne to life. Intended as a death metal equivalent to The Empire Strikes Back in scope, the group set their sights on raising the stakes in both story and songwriting.
SUMMONING THE LICH took the considered approach of eschewing superfluous technicality in favor of a leaner and more streamlined focus on song structure. Each of the tracks on Under the Reviled Throne were written with the purpose of guiding the listener through the eponymous Lich’s descent into misanthropy and tyranny, without sacrificing their idiosyncratic sound.
This balancing act of dexterity and structure is exemplified best on cuts like Return to the Soil and lead single, My Horrors Unending. The latter of which succinctly merges SUMMONING THE LICH’s inclination for extremity and stop and start dynamics with rhythmic pummelling and memorable hooks.
With Arrias under existential threat, Under the Reviled Throne is a dazzlingly ambitious tale of hope and resistance in the form of its protagonist Taane (introduced on previously released album track, The Forest Feasts). Elsewhere, The Carrion Fleet’s narrative of the city of Bastell succumbing to flames at the hands of the Lich’s army ushers in the ominously brooding
Upping the stakes to dizzying heights, SUMMONING THE LICH offers plenty in the way of light among the shadowy figures that lurk within the Lich’s universe of malevolent chaos. All is not lost.
SUMMONING THE LICH tour dates:
w/ Vale of Pnath and Abigail Williams
17 May – The Black Sheep – Colorado Springs, CO
18 May – The Marquis Theater – Denver, CO
20 May – The Underground – Phoenix, AZ
21 May – The Usual Place – Las Vegas, NV
22 May – Brick by Brick – San Diego, CA
23 May – Humdinger Brewing – San Luis Obispo, CA
24 May – Chain Reaction – Anaheim, CA
25 May – Neck of the Woods – San Francisco, CA
26 May – Harlow’s – Sacramento, CA
SUMMONING THE LICH is:
David Bruno – Vocals
Ryan Felps – Guitars
Nick Muckerman – Guitars
TJ Chilton – Drums
Metal Shock Finland (World Assault ) 