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

'When Halos Of Candles Collide' (Instrumental) - “A perfectly placed instrumental gives the album a new a dimension. This composition reminds me of indian ragas. The piece starts with an acoustic indian sitar, a very mystical sounding instrument. It felt natural to play and was much needed to make this piece complete. The middle part is performed with a 12 string electric guitar which sounds very vintage. Moloch and I mused on the idea to have indian sounding scales, he then recorded a demo for this piece which sounded monumental. We decided to use it. I added other cosmetic 12 string guitars and the electric guitar/sitar hybrid. The piece gradually decends into the sitar again. Perfect for meditation and reflection. And a sure needed breather prior to the following track!”

'Defeating The Giants' - “This song starts with a raw old school guitar riff and a sitar melody. The sitar gives the impression of a rational transition after the previous intrumental. The first two riffs of the song were written circa 1995 -1996 back in Jerusalem. We never thought of using them, not until now at least. When I heard some old reherasal tapes from that era I had the main two riffs accompnaied by drums and I was impressed. The middle part and bridges are different very dynamic, with intense yet logical drum rolls then a neck breaking beat with almost bending decending notes. The song returns to its intensity and what I particularly like is the way it ends. Rather than a crash hit there is an ice bell hit. It is very difinitive and represents the end of a banishing ritual. This ice bell has a lot of history with us. It is featured on all ABSU albums but the last and on all Melechesh albums aside from the first. The silk lanes of Hena, Labrynth map, tell us the tale of ego and loss!”

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.

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