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French multi-instrumentalist Ardraos has announced a new SÜHNOPFER work of Black Metal Art which will be released on October 6th. “Nous sommes d’Hier” explores a Medieval universe in a quest to restore the tarnished glory of the Bourbons – marching between the Middle Ages and the modern era to weave compulsive tales of dark times, remembered legends and places that resonate with the death of an age.

The title “Nous sommes d’Hier” translates to English as “We Are From Yesterday” and is a phrase which needs to be understood in terms of the Christian tradition, as Ardraos expands:

“The title stems from a biblical reference, namely the Book of Job 8:9, where it is written: ‘We are from yesterday, and we know nothing, our days on earth are only a shadow.’ This title resonates with my Art as it cuts across the relevant themes addressed by SÜHNOPFER: evoking a religious atmosphere, the death of an historical era, the feeling of not being part of the right period, and the ephemeral passage that we are all subject to. We are nothing but emanations of past and bygone millennia.“

Tracklist:

01. D.S.F.R.
02. Nous sommes d’Hier
03. Sermon sur le Trépassement
04. Pays d’Allen
05. Céron
06. Derniers Sacrements
07. Le Bal des Laze

“Nous sommes d’Hier” was composed between January 2019 and November 2020, with the main instruments being recorded in different studios. The album was mixed at NKS Studio and mastered at Upload Studio 2022 to 2023.

The cover artwork, “Roi déchu“, is by modern French iconographic artist Charles Dubus. Ardraos comments:

“Charles Dubus is very talented in representing realistic historical subjects. The main character stands in a ruined church. This scenery may be interpreted as the character’s last sanctuary after his forfeiture. His posture evokes the iconography of Job in the Bible (as the title is linked to this passage from the Old Testament). He is unclothed on the top-half of his body like Job, but his last remaining rag is a large royal cape. He wears a crown to make it even clearer that he is a fallen king, yet his imploring posture and the ray of light that illuminates him evokes a weak hope which is vividly distilled through the songs on this album.“

Ardraos grants us a last sneak peek into what’s to come:

“This album will stand in direct continuity of “Offertoire” and “Hic Regnant Borbonii Manes“. You will find Black Metal embellished with original baroque elements from Charpentier and Chérubini, as well as with touches of acoustic guitars. As usual, I made it a point of honor to carefully select and work on each song’s details to obtain a massive result: chivalrous and full of panache. I also did more choirs myself on this record. And you will hear a special guest on the song ‘Sermon sur le Trépassement‘ who won’t be unveiled yet. Finally, there is a cover song, for the first time, on a SÜHNOPFER album. It will come rather unexpected to many, but it was a totally accurate choice to transform this piece into a Black Metal entity.“

“Nous sommes d’Hier” will be released on October 6th. A first song and pre-order options will be revealed on September 4th.

Created into the deep lands of the Bourbons in 2000, SÜHNOPFER is the Black Metal project of multi-instrumentalist and sole member Ardraos (also drummer for CHRISTICIDE, AORLHAC).

SÜHNOPFER has since built up a discography of three demos, an EP (“L’Aube des Trépassés”, 2007) and 3 full-length albums: “Nos Sombres Chapelles” (2010), and the resounding “Offertoire”, released at the end of 2014, as well as “Hic Regnant Borbonii Manes” (2019).

SÜHNOPFER delivers a violent medieval and melodic atmosphere, with themes dealing with a medieval, knightly, obscurantist and religious dimension, by adding typical aspects of his powerful and glorious homeland.