Maverick UK death metallers Scythian have premiered their new track "Beyond The Dust"; listen via the audio player below. "Beyond The Dust" is the opening salvo from Hubris In Excelsis, the band's forthcoming second album, set for international release on August 21st via Hells Headbangers.

Heavily inspired by apocalyptic science fiction, morbid poetry, and the unlikely mix of Sodom, Bathory, and Angelcorpse - or perhaps more specifically, INRI-era Sarcofago, '90s Zemial, and Desaster's Tyrants Of The Netherworld - here on Hubris In Excelsis, Scythian better the bold sound and vision triumphantly displayed across their celebrated debut album, 2009's To Those Who Stand Against Us, whilst retaining the unique, charismatic core that won them favor 'n' fervor in the international metal underground. From slow-burning beginning to bloody, battle-torn end, Scythian fire off nine, total-experience epics that are as engaging and invigorating as the last: almost narrative despite the hellfire and fury with which Scythian play, yet winding through a wide range of dynamic contours and subtly dusted with tasteful nuance.

Scythian are both obedient to and defiant of metal tradition, for in their world, there are "no gods / no masters" - only the power of the will, and the iron-fisted hand that wields it. They've harnessed such a power with the aid of Esoteric's Greg Chandler, who recorded and engineered Hubris In Excelsis at his Priory Studios, with mastering by Mithras' Leon Macey at Dreaming Studios. Altogether, it's a recording rich with confidence and color, vigor and violence, sweat and celestial space. Completing the totality of Hubris In Excelsis is the cover (and interior) art painted by esteemed underground artist Blanka Dvorak, which is rich with imagery influenced by morbid, dystopian sci-fi and resonates with the album's latent lyrical themes.

Hubris In Excelsis cover and tracklisting are as follows:

"Beyond The Dust"
"Hubris In Excelsis"
"Apocalyptic Visions"
"As Tyrants Feast"
"Penultimate Truth: Ultimate Deceit"
"The Laws"
"Three Stigmata"
"War Graves (Dulce et Decorum Est)"
"Dystopia"