Over two years in the making, “From The Waters Of Death” is a conceptual split album that brings to life an ambitious project: to tell the Mesopotamian myth of Gilgamesh, the world’s oldest epic, through music. The poem recounts the deeds of the king of Uruk, a strong and arrogant demigod who oppresses his people. To Gilgamesh the gods oppose the bestial Enkidu, a wild hero who lives among animals and that defeats the king of Uruk in battle, teaching him temperance and balance. The two become inseparable friends and embark on heroic adventures until Enkidu’s death, a tragic event that drives Gilgamesh on a desperate quest for immortality, finally discovering that true immortality lies in the works and wisdom left to posterity.

Telling the story are four bands characterized by darkly epic songwriting: Dis Pater’s MIDNIGHT ODYSSEY, who with its cosmic metal has repeatedly tackled concept albums with a mythological flavor; then the English duo SWORDS OF DIS, somewhat the directors of the entire work, whether for the theatrical power of their doom-tinged black metal, and for the fact that singer Alice Corvinus’ vocals act as a trait d’union between all the tracks. And finally ÔROS KAÙ, the black/death metal project of Guillaume Cazalet from NEPTUNIAN MAXIMALISM, and the Finnish deathsters SERPENT ASCENDING by Jarno Nurmi (DESECRESY), both equally at home with concept albums with dark and majestic atmospheres.

Equally important is the amazing work of artist Dávid Glomba, who took care of the cover drawing as well as the magnificent paintings and cuneiform writing that are beautifully displayed in the sumptuous large booklet. Through 5 long and articulate tracks on the border between death, black and doom metal, “From The Waters Of Death” captures the essence of the Gilgamesh myth, who represents mankind’s irrepressible need to understand the meaning of existence through the value of human mortality.

The split release will be released  on February 13 via I, Voidhanger Records. Pre-orders are already open here: https://bit.ly/4qFy9FE.

Tracklist:
1. SERPENT ASCENDING – Aruru Births The Lord Of The Wilderness (14:43)
2. ÔROS KAÙ – Into The Wailing Darkness They Fell, Where The Mouth Of Fire Awaits (07:48)
3. SWORDS OF DIS – From Egalmah They Rode Toward The Howling Cedars Where The Blood Of Beasts Is Spilled And The Silence Of A Scorned God Cracks The Earth (21:04)
4. SWORDS OF DIS – Blood Stains The Altar Of The Sun And In Ishtar’s Mourning The Feral Lord Of Desolation Awaits The House Of Dust (18:44)
5. MIDNIGHT ODYSSEY – From The Setting Of The Sun And Through The Waters Of Death, The Faraway, Uta-Napishtim, Lies Hidden (20:05)

Listen to the excerpts of each track below: