Guitarist/vocalist Ashmedi of Mesopotamian blackened thrash pioneers MELECHESH, has issued the fifth and final installment of several track-by-track explanations of songs from the band's new album. The Epigenesis was released on October 1st in Europe and on October 26th in North America via Nuclear Blast Records.

'A Greater Chain Of Being' - “This is an instrumental with traditional near eastern instruments. This music represents sufi music or ancient eastern classical music. This is not very common in mainstream society and in the middle east it is considered underground! It is profound and spiritual and meant for you to confront yourself while meditating or tripping. We have done such compositions in the past because we feel close to them. It is another dimension of Melechesh. Many of our audiences asked us to compose more songs like this because they do not have access to such music. It was a treat to oblige, even though we would have done it in either case. Turn the lights off, computer off, phone off and go on a trip.”

'The Epigenesis' - “Some have called it one of our most accomplished songs performed with 12 string electric guitars. Some have called it a journey into the world of Melechesh. Some called it Melechesh in psychedelic mode. I call it another song, albeit self indulgent. We did not want to make a demo for this track, but rather develop it during several writing sessions often lasting into the morning hours. We wanted the listener to feel as if they were right there with us in the rehearsal room. The guitar leads were improvised and it gave an impromptu feel to the song. Leads were recorded late at night without an agenda. The hallways of the studio doubled as reverb outlets . Yes the reverbs in this song were ‘handmade’ by putting a microphone in the hallway to pick up the distant and echo sound of our guitars. Many things happened while recording this song that made it all work like a perfectly built puzzle. You can hear elaborate middle eastern melodies, heavy metal, thrash metal and psychedelic rock all in the same track. The longest track we have ever written. One verse in our lyrics refers to all our album titles. A very interesting concept for us. This is the testimony of The Epigenesis.”

Melechesh have made the track 'Grand Gathas Of Baal Sin' available for streaming on their MySpace page. The track comes from the band's new album The Epigenesis.

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. In an unprecedented move in metal, 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 (above) to their long awaited 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