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Fresh off of announcing their upcoming 2023 tour dates with scene giants Cannibal Corpse and Dark Funeral, St. Louis, MO black metal duo STORMRULER will soon release their new album, Sacred Rites & Black Magick, out this Friday, October 14 via Napalm Records! Sacred Rites & Black Magick weaves epic tales of war, history, black magick and sorcery beyond the standard confines of black metal, birthing an unforgettable conceptual journey of legend that any metal fan would be remiss to ignore.

Following the album’s first two epic singles “Sacred Rites & Black Magick” and “Internal Fulmination Of The Grand Deceivers”, STORMRULER has revealed a grim and gripping third single alongside a new lyric video. “Upon Frozen Shores” weaves a sonic tale of occult doom atop triumphant soundscapes, breakneck rhythms and ghostly melodic passages – succeeding in convincing even the newest of genre converts.

STORMRULER says about “Upon Frozen Shores”:

“‘Upon Frozen Shores’ was chosen as the final offering of the album cycle for its grim nature and the diversity that it demonstrates within the record. Starting out of the gate with a mid tempo pace and story-telling prose, it will sink the listener directly into the story told. In a way, it showcases all different aspects that this record has to offer – from slow mid-tempo riffage, to the imperial buzzsaw, to acoustic passages and more. We’re proud to present this song to you all and we can’t for everyone to experience Sacred Rites & Black Magick in its entirety.”

STORMRULER recently announced their upcoming support of Cannibal Corpse, Dark Funeral and Ingested on their 2023 European tour! The tour begins on March 10 in the Netherlands, hitting a massive number of major European cities before coming to an end in Nottingham, UK on April 23. Tickets are on sale now – see below for all dates!

STORMRULER w/ Cannibal Corpse, Dark Funeral and Ingested – Europe 2023:

10.03. Hengelo, NL – Metropool
11.03. Speyer, GER – Halle 101
12.03. Lausanne, CH – Metropol
14.03. Toulouse, FRA – Le Bikini
15.03. Pamplona, ESP – Sala Totem
16.03. Madrid, ESP – La Paqui
17.03. Barcelona, ESP – Razzmatazz 2
18.03. Lyon, FRA – Ninkasi Gerland
19.03. Stuttgart, GER – Im Wizemann
21.03. Rennes, FRA – Antipode
22.03. Paris, FRA – Elysee Montmartre
23.03. Cologne, GER – Essigfabrik
24.03. Zurich, CH – Komplex 457
25.03. Prague, CZ – Palak Akropolis
26.03. Budapest, HU – Barba Negra
28.03. Munich, GER – Backstage Werk
29.03. Vienna, AT – Arena
30.03. Cracow, POL – Hyde Park
31.03. Leipzig, GER – Hellraiser
01.04. Coesfeld, GER – Fabrik
02.04. Berlin, GER – Huxley’s Neue Welt
04.04. Copenhagen, DK – Amager Bio
05.04. Stockholm, SWE – Klubben
06.04. Oslo, NOR – Inferno Metal Festival
07.04. Gothenburg, SWE – Pustervik
08.04. Aarhus, DK – Train
09.04. Hamburg, GER – Gruenspan
11.04. Hannover, GER – Capitol
12.04. Leiden, NL – Gebr. de Nobel
13.04. Antwerp, BEL – Trix
14.04. Strasbourg, FRA – La Laiterie
15.04. Geiselwind, GER – Music Hall
16.04. Lille, FRA – Le Splendid
18.04. Bristol, UK – O2 Academy
19.04. Glasgow, UK – Barrowland
21.04. Manchester, UK – Academy
22.04. London, UK – O2 Forum Kentish Town
23.04. Nottingham, UK – Rock City

Pre-Order Sacred Rites & Black Magick HERE

Beginning with echoing, clean dual acoustic guitars, introductory interlude “Hymns Of The Slumbering Race” begins the procession of grand ascension and hair raising riffage to come. “Internal Fulmination Of The Grand Deceivers” flashes STORMRULER’s brand of Imperial Black Metal Warfare, shining with heavy bass and blast beats before cascading into icy atmosphere topped by smoke-cloaked vocals. Entrancing guitars match an ebb and flow of carefully paced interludes and merciless, speeding fury, showcasing standout leads and a blazing solo. Similar epic songwriting, lush lyricism and skillful dynamics can be witnessed on tracks such as the brooding “Entranced Within The Moon Presence”, intricate “In The Shaded Vlasian Forest” and introspective, glistening “Along The Appian Way”. “To Bear The Twin Faces Of The Dragon” stages some of the most menacing sonic escapades and memorable leads of the 20-track offering, combining chants of sorcery with searing screams and waves of crushing melody, while tracks such as “Upon Frozen Shores” weave a sonic tale of occult doom atop triumphant soundscapes, breakneck rhythms and ghostly melodic passages. Closing battle opus “A Malice Dead & Cold” wraps the album with some of its most threatening riffs and heroic leads, fittingly drawing the curtain on the band’s sophomore excursion.

Sacred Rites & Black Magick track listing:

1. Hymns Of The Slumbering Race
2. Internal Fulmination Of The Grand Deceivers
3. Adrift Dark Halls Of Vinheim
4. To Bear The Twin Faces Of The Dragon
5. In Light Of Paleblood
6. Entranced Within The Moon Presence
7. Invocation Of The Black Sacrament
8. Sacred Rites & Black Magick
9. Oathpact
10. Ten Heralds, Ten Desolations
11. The Waters Of Iolamita
12. In The Shaded Vlasian Forest
13. Amid A Smear Of Crimson Cloud
14. Apparitions Across The Ravencrest
15. Sanguinare Vampiris
16. Upon Frozen Shores
17. Shadow Of The Golden Eagle
18. Along The Appian Way
19. By Winters Long Passed
20. A Malice Dead & Cold

STORMRULER broke out in 2021 with the avid subterranean support of their debut full-length, Under A Burning Eclipse – subsequently garnering scores of acclaim upon its wide re-release via Napalm Records. The album, which Decibel Magazine called, “one of the best black metal albums of the year”, introduced STORMRULER’s beyond-their-years execution of raw, atmospheric black metal doused in extravagant lyricism.

Produced, mixed and mastered by Gabe Usery at Encapsulated Studios and featuring stunning artwork by Giannis Nakos of Remedy Art Design, upcoming sophomore album Sacred Rites & Black Magick blisters with more unrelenting intensity while maintaining a haunting, visceral aura more ancient and foreboding than ever. As on Under A Burning Eclipse, between each song on Sacred Rites & Black Magick is an intricately positioned interlude building the ambiance and steering the thematic intensity of the album.

STORMRULER says about Sacred Rites & Black Magick:
“This album is on another level in comparison to our previous offering. It falls in the same vein of the melodic second wave black metal worship of Under The Burning Eclipse, but with a more intense and darker touch. It’s got the high speed buzzsaw attack we love, crushing grooves, solid leads, ambience within the interludes and acoustic passages, as well as lyrics that tell a story.”

Beginning with echoing, clean dual acoustic guitars, introductory interlude “Hymns Of The Slumbering Race” begins the procession of grand ascension and hair raising riffage to come. “Internal Fulmination Of The Grand Deceivers” flashes STORMRULER’s brand of Imperial Black Metal Warfare, shining with heavy bass and blastbeats before cascading into icy atmosphere topped by smoke-cloaked vocals. Entrancing guitars match an ebb and flow of carefully paced interludes and merciless, speeding fury, showcasing standout leads and a blazing solo. Similar epic songwriting, lush lyricism and skillful dynamics can be witnessed on tracks such as the brooding “Entranced Within The Moon Presence”, intricate “In The Shaded Vlasian Forest” and introspective, glistening “Along The Appian Way”. “To Bear The Twin Faces Of The Dragon” stages some of the most menacing sonic escapades and memorable leads of the 20-track offering, combining chants of sorcery with searing screams and waves of crushing melody, while tracks such as “Upon Frozen Shores” weave a sonic tale of occult doom atop triumphant soundscapes, breakneck rhythms and ghostly melodic passages. Closing battle opus “A Malice Dead & Cold” wraps the album with some of its most threatening riffs and heroic leads, fittingly drawing the curtain on the band’s sophomore excursion.

STORMRULER is:
Jason Asberry – Vocals, Guitars and Bass
Jesse Schobel – Drums & Vocals