Richard HolmesSong
They Have Found Their Master
Artist
Schammasch
Schammasch backstory
Schammasch first emerged in 2010 with Sic Lvceat Lvx, but it was 2016’s three-part blackened voyage, Triangle, which provided the breakthrough.
Harnessed by sole founder C.S.R, Schammasch have since established themselves as one of extreme metal’s most visionary outfits, shrouding their recorded work and live shows in mystery, and crafting avantgarde art that is both intriguing and utterly compelling.
Their genre-defying journey is set to continue…
They Have Found Their Master is taken from the Swiss act’s upcoming sixth album The Maldoror Chants: Old Ocean, which draws from the Les Chants de Maldoror, a 19th century literary work which is part of the foundation of the surrealist movement. The ocean – and its vast magnificence – is a central theme to the long-awaited successor to 2019’s Hearts of no Light.
Produced by C.S.R himself, The Maldoror Chants: Old Ocean will feature guest vocals from Sylvaine’s Kathrine Shepard.
In the band’s own words
“They Have Found Their Master is the looming of a tempest wave closing in, the destructive force of a monolithic wall of water, swallowing everything in its way to culminate in the melodic furiosity of classic 90s black metal towards the end, additionally embellished by Kathrine Shepard’s hauntingly beautiful vocal contribution.”
The verdict on They Have Found Their Master
They Have Found Their Master is painted in the darkest hues, and offers a ten-minute plus gothic soundscape of tidal riffs and swirling percussion. The hypnotic opening sequences, the surging dark rock passages, the foray into storm-bringing black metal… they all combine to create something truly magical.
C.S.R.’s eldritch tones and Shepard’s ethereal vocals lift the track to even greater heights, and it bodes well for what’s to come from Schammasch this autumn.
As for the accompanying video? C.S.R., who has been working on music vids for five years, describes it as a “monster step for myself as a visual artist”.
We’d be inclined to agree with him. Developed over two and a half months, it’s an astonishing piece of work.
What’s next for Schammasch?
The Maldoror Chants: Old Ocean, is set for release via Prosthetic Records on October 25, but before that, Schammasch have a string of live dates lined up, including appearances at London’s Cosmic Void Festival on September 14 and Bosphorus Open Air in Istanbul on September 21, and a headline show in Zürich on September 27.
Photo by Ester Segarra.