AETHER REALM - Tarot Album Re-Issue Released Today; Playthrough Video Of "The Sun, The Moon, The Star" Available
September 11, 2020, 4 years ago
Aether Realm's acclaimed 2017 release, Tarot, truly surged these melodic death heroes onto the metal map, and today marks the official reissue release – available in an array of exceptional new formats – via Napalm Records.
In celebration of today's release, the North Carolina, US-based quartet just dropped yet another new playthrough video for a track cut from Tarot, featuring the full band performing one of their most epic offerings to date – "The Sun, The Moon, The Star". Watch the playthrough below.
The North Carolina-based quartet’s massive, now 12-track/70+ minute sophomore release (expanded with the addition of previous standalone single “The Magician” to the new physical edition) garnered notable underground appeal and cemented the band’s mind-blowingly multi-faceted sound as their own.
Frontman/bassist Vincent "Jake" Jones says: “Four years ago, we made a promise... and it’s finally time we made good. Our 2017 album Tarot is being re-released on CD and vinyl by Napalm Records. The re-release will feature new cover art by Adrian Baxter and will include the song 'The Magician' like we’d originally intended. To those of you that donated to receive vinyl in our original crowdfunding campaign, we’ll be in touch.
"The album clocks in just shy of 80 minutes in length and includes our most lengthy and ambitious singular musical effort to date - 'The Sun, The Moon, The Star'. Tarot was our first full length album with Kile Odell on mixing, mastering, and production. Additionally, we worked with Dan Müller of Wilderun for the orchestration, with Philip Reed for choir arrangement and recording, and with members of Paladin, Inferi, Alestorm, Lorelei, and many others for guest musical contributions of all kinds.
"Our eternal thanks goes to all who have played a role in providing us the resources to make the music we’ve created so far. As for what the future holds, of course there’s no way to tell... or is there?”
Watch a brand new live performance video for “Death” below
Boasting an evident auditory overhaul courtesy of producer Kile Odell and loosely based on the concept of tarot cards, Tarot begins the masterpiece to come with “The Fool” - beginning modestly, then ominously cascading into a black metal-meets-southern-fried riff inspired fury. Further setting the stage for the remainder of the opus, incendiary title track “Tarot” leans heavier into what fans have now come to love from Aether Realm - a confident, cinematic melding of spine-tingling symphonic elements, thrashy rhythms and mind-boggling guitar leads. Following folk metal anthem-turned-talent show “King Of Cups” (featuring labelmate Christopher Bowes of massive pirate metal titans Alestorm), Tarot continues to blindingly shine with tracks like the metallic ballad-echoed “Death” and sinister orchestral oeuvre “The Devil” - the latter of which should catch any competition shaking in their boots. The remainder of Tarot - capped by the nearly 20-minute heroic “The Sun, The Moon, The Star” - proves that it is indeed possible to flawlessly meld southern Americana-metal riffs with European-tinged symphonic soundscapes.
Tarot is the album that every band wishes they could attempt by their second go-round, yet Aether Realm have already achieved it and gaze triumphantly ahead.
The reissue of Tarot is available in the following formats:
- CD Digipak
- 2LP Gatefold Creamy White
- 2LP Gatefold Marble Red/Black
- CD + Shirt Bundle
Tracklisting:
"The Fool"
"Tarot"
"The Tower"
"King Of Cups" (feat. Chris Bowes)
"Death"
"The Chariot"
"The Devil"
"The Emperor"
"Strength"
"Temperance"
"The Sun, The Moon, The Star"
"The Magician" (Bonus Track)
"Death" live video:
Aether Realm is:
Vincent "Jake" Jones - bass, vocals
Heinrich Arnold - guitar, vocals
Tyler Gresham - drums
Donny Burbage - guitar
(Photo - Tyler Gresham)