Guitarist/vocalist Ashmedi of Mesopotamian blackened thrash pioneers MELECHESH, has issued the second of several track by track explanations of songs from their new album. The Epigenesis was released on October 1st in Europe and will be made available on October 26th in North America via Nuclear Blast Records.

'Sacred Geometry' - “The meaning of Sacred Geometry refers to the idea that the cosmos although chaotic has a sense of order and defining geometry i.e. crystalline elements. Even the symbol of chaos is Geometric! Shapes and patterns make existence of the real and surreal possible! Many divine structures or spiritual temples have been built on this principle! Even Pythagoras elaborated on this matter. He discovered that stopping half way through the length of an oscillating string produced an octave relative to the string's fundamental, basically a higher version of the same note, while a ratio of 2:3 produces a perfect fifth and 3:4 produces a perfect fourth. Pythagoreans believed that these harmonic ratios gave music powers of healing which could ‘harmonize’ an out-of-balance body.

Symbolically, lyrically and musically this song is sacred Geometry. The main riff, which sounds very catchy and serpentine eastern, is based on a physical geometrical pattern but also has octaves and fifths! The lyrics deal with the Annunaki and their message to the sons of Sumer (Humans). I did a line of clean vocals there which seemed expressive and suitable. Plus we formed a choir with the band members a couple of friends. 3 ladies then came to do the female parts abstractly in the background. This song is a perfect circle!”

'The Magickan And The Drones' - “This song has more of a black thrash apporach yet has epic parts such as the intro and outro as well as the middle. The intro, which is a semi acoustic vintage sounding electric guitar, was improvised while I was in a project strudio in Rotterdam. It has a desolate feel that sets the mood. A calm before the storm type of scenario! The explosive riffs set a ritualistic mood and proveribal prologue. Then the song goes on full throtle. The lyrics have a dual meanings. The mythological mystical ones but also another one. This song to me represents the perfection of black/thrash metal and gracefully adds rock elements! The outro layers several elements, guitars that sound like ancient horns (thanks to some vintage amps) while the ritualistc riff goes on. It sounds very apocalyptic . THIS IS YOUR ANECDOTE!”

'Mystics Of The Pillar' - “This is one of the songs that we tend to call ritualistic. Deeply rooted in mid eastern sounds. This song is hypnotic and serpent like! It was written on 12 string electric guitar and was also recorded with this guitar. However we also had string in the background to maintain a cohesive sound through out the album. There are two versions of this song, both have entirely different endings. We choose one for the album. We don’t know where and if the other will resurface. I am confident it will though. The title refers to mystics who dedicate their lives to meditation and to reach their spiritual goals they meditate on pillars for isolation and symbolic spiritual elevation. The lyrics are not straight forward and do have subliminal meanings. Very last note while the guitar tone is fading you hear a noise from the guitars. I felt like shouting/coughing on the guitar pickup. It was spontaeous but we wanted to keep it as it had a subtle charm. Middle part has a the Yaleli Tanbour by Cahit Berkay (of the 60’s Anatolian rock band MOGOLLAR; still active). Plus Harun Kolcak is a well known singer in Turkey and did the eastern vocal ornamentaions while I was basically speaking in tongues on that part.“

Pre-order a copy of The Epigenesis with or without an exclusive shirt design at this location.

The Epigenesis was recorded in the newly built first class Babajim Studios in Istanbul, Turkey. The album was mixed by Reuben de Lautour and mastered by Pieter Snapper. The band chose to record the album entirely in Istanbul in an attempt to capture the inspiring surroundings. Babajim Studios is run by some of the most elite sound engineers in Turkey.

The artwork to their fifth album was handled by renowned UK based occult artist John Coulthart, whom the band has previously collaborated with before.

As previously reported, Melechesh have made the track ‘Grand Gathas Of Baal Sin’ from The Epigenesis, available for streaming on their MySpace page.

Melechesh will be supporting ROTTING CHRIST on their tour next March/April 2011. Joining them will be Polish death metallers HATE, ABIGAIL WILLIAMS, and LECHEROUS NOCTURNE.

Tour dates are as follows:

March

9 - Jaxx – W. Springfield, VA
10 - Championship Bar & Grill – Trenton, NJ
11 - Montage Music Hall – Rochester, NY
12 - Rocko’s – Manchester, NH
13 - The Palladium – Worcester, MA
14 - Crazy Donkey – Farmingdale, NY
15 - Petite Campus – Montreal, QC
16 - Mod Club – Toronto, ON
17 - Blondie’s – Detroit, MI
18 - Peabody’s – Cleveland, OH
19 - Reggie’s Rock Club – Chicago, IL
20 - Station 4 – St. Paul, MN
22 - The Republik – Calgary, AB
23 - Starlite Room – Edmonton, AB
25 - El Corazon – Seattle, WA
26 - Hawthorne Theatre – Portland, OR
27 - DNA Lounge – San Francisco, CA
28 - Chain Reaction – Anaheim, CA
29 - The Key Club – Hollywood, CA
30 - Brick by Brick – San Diego, CA
31 - U.B’s Bar – Mesa, AZ

April

1 - The War Legion Underground – Amarillo, TX
2 - The Marquee – Tulsa, OK
3 - Rail Club – Ft. Worth, TX

4- Emo’s – Austin, TX

5 - Walter’s – Houston, TX
7 - Brass Mug – Tampa, FL
8 - The Masquerade – Atlanta, GA
9 - Volume 11 – Raleigh, NC
10 - The Casbah – Charlotte, NC