Carnifex

Necromanteum

Released on: 06.10.2023

Nourished by nightmares and the throbbing pulse of pragmatic terror, CARNIFEX have returned with their ninth full-length studio album, Necromanteum, out this fall via Nuclear Blast Records.

The cover artwork glows with an emerald and lavender fog; a ghostly energy erupting from the depths of a cemetery. Designed by renowned comic book artist E.M. Gist, this gateway represents the questions we ask about what lies on the other side of reality.

While it may come as a surprise to some fans, the themes of Necromanteum are a little less personal compared to previous CARNIFEX releases. Vocalist and founder Scott Ian Lewis explains: “We wanted to delve into more supernatural and ethereal subjects like astral projection, the duality of man, and the crossroads of intellectualism and the supernatural... There was indeed a time when Doctors were also performing seances!”

Decades ago, wealthy intellectuals began installing psychomanteum in their homes; a secret room completely filled with mirrors, or a single mirror, and in complete darkness, in order to speak to the dead in other dimensions, and gain their knowledge. It was often used as a healing tool to help dissolve grief, or considered a form of prophecy. Necromanteum presents the concept: what if you could use that kind of room to speak with death, itself? What secrets of the world could you uncover from a direct conversation with the grim reaper? Not a monster, but a fellow intellect.

The title track ‘Necromanteum’ broaches these existential topics - for example, what if it is only a one-way trip? No matter how sure we think we are, no one can really know the truth. “This album doesn’t necessarily come to any one conclusion,” explains Lewis, “it’s more an exploration of what could be.” As is to be expected with classic death metal and deathcore, the sound of Necromanteum and the overall musical themes are decidedly riff-driven.

The track ‘Death’s Forgotten Children’ is a brief exception to the fantastic, and less personal approach to this record, with lyrics about Lewis surviving a near-death drowning as a 5-year-old child. Featuring guest vocals from Tom Barber of CHELSEA GRIN, Lewis and Barber actually co-wrote the lyrics together, also pulling inspiration from Barber’s own near-death experience.

There’s no shortage of new blood on this record both in the sense of remaining steadily progressive, but also now with the fresh inclusion of guitarist and song-writer Neal Tiemann as a full-time member. “Neal’s got some great solos on the album,” describes Lewis. “There’s actually only one song that doesn't feature one. This album is unmistakingly us, but it sounds a little different, too. In a lot of ways, it’s what a lot of bands strive to do: continue becoming a better version of yourself.”

After existing as a band for over 18 years, CARNIFEX continue to experiment with fresh song arrangements, and adding a unique sense of atmosphere to their inherently deathcore foundation. When it came time to record, these orchestrations were brought to life by film score composer Spencer Creaghan. “We would send the pre-production to him and then he would write off of the riff, adding an otherworldly atmosphere and elevating the guitars. Spencer is a wonderful writer.”

The recording process took place over the course of several weeks with producer Jason Suecof in Florida, and saw the return of live drums since COVID restrictions made doing so on Graveside Confessions impossible. Mastered by Mark Lewis in Nashville, TN, the album was also co-produced by Vocalist Scott Ian Lewis and drummer Shawn Cameron.

CARNIFEX fans who love to see the band live will not be disappointed as there are plenty of exciting tour plans set for the rest of 2023 into 2024, with new track ‘Torn In Two’ already creating buzz from the band’s last trek on the road.

“This album is for the fans,” states Lewis. “We’re always striving to give you the best version of us, but it’s only ours until we turn it in. Then it becomes everyone else’s record. It’s a form of entertainment, and we truly hope to help listeners break away from real life, and have some escape into our little world through the Necromanteum .”

 Tracklist

 1 - Torn In Two

 2 - Death's Forgotten Children

 3 - Necromanteum

 4 - Crowned In Everblack

 5 - The Pathless Forest

 6 - How The Knife Gets Twisted

 7 - Architect Of Misanthropy

 8 - Infinite Night Terror

 9 - Bleed More

 10 - Heaven And Hell All At Once

One of the leading heavy metal record labels and online shops in the world

Nuclear Blast Records is among the world's leading heavy metal online shops, when it comes to ordering CDs, vinyl records, and Blu-Ray/DVDs, as well as accessories and merchandise such as band T-shirts, hoodies, patches, and a whole lot more from the heavy metal scene. At the Nuclear Blast online metal store, you'll find over 30,000 items from more than 8,000 bands—pieces to add to your music collection, merch to get into for concerts and gigs, and stuff to gift to heavy metal fans you know. 

MUSIC

As the number one heavy metal record label, Nuclear Blast specializes in offering items from metal icons of the following genres: death metal, thrash metal, black metal, gothic, hard rock, doom, hardcore, symphonic metal, power metal, pagan metal, and progressive metal. In our online metal store, you can get your favourite albums on vinyl, including pre-ordering exclusive drops of colored vinyl bundles and other limited-edition pieces. Along with the extensive vinyl selection, you can shop for your favourite bands and all-time heavy metal classics in CDs + DVDs/Blu-Rays and box sets at Nuclear Blast online metal store.

MERCH

If you're looking for a heavy metal shop to get official merchandise from your favourite bands and artists, Nuclear Blast Records is the place to be. In our metal shop, we sell metal band-related apparel, accessories, and official fan merchandise. From band T-shirts, jackets, and hoodies to patches, pins, and other carefully selected merch and deluxe items, the Nuclear Blast online store has what any fan could ever want and need.

As soon as the goods you order are in stock or released, your order gets prepared for shipment and will be delivered within 3-5 business days. Shop from a vast range of heavy metal articles at NuclearBlast.com heavy metal online shop. Get the latest and exclusive heavy metal fan artefacts at a fair price for all those interested in T-shirts, CDs, DVDs, vinyl, and more from the leading heavy metal record label around.