Guitarist Roman Subbotin from London, UK-based progressive extreme metal band DE PROFUNDIS has issued the following update:

"My long-winded blogs return, at last, after a prolonged absence. If the devil finds work for idle hands, I want to know which bastard has been finding work for me and why there's been so much of it?!?

Anyway, our second album is now well and truly finished. Produced by Fernando Pereira Lopes and ourselves it represents a significant moment for our musical evolution. We've all worked really hard and, in my humble opinion, achieved rather spectacular results.

The "record" button was first pressed on 5th June 2009, after which we've spent almost a whole month in various studios in and around London recording the album. Mixing then took place over two sessions at Russ Russell's Parlour Studios in July. The mixes where then mastered by Tim Turan. What seems like an eternal process has finally come to an end...?

The two new rhythm section of De Profundis (Nick and Arran) should take a lot of credit for the evolution of our sound, and rightly so. These guys did a fantastic job, even if I was originally none-too-pleased having to re-learn several of my own riffs to make them fit in with a new groove or feel that these two had come up with! The guitars and vocal arrangements built on the strengths of the first album as we explored our influences much more and steadfastly ignored any and all genre conventions.

Craig did a fantastic job with vocals, ranging from the very brutal stuff all the way to emotive spoken word sections and whispers.

Shoi, meanwhile, recorded some stunning guitar solos, comprehensively proving that technique and feel need not be exclusive. I'm happy enough with what I recorded, this time taking more of the melodic slow lead guitar sections; although Shoi and I do have a lead guitar "duel" in one of the tracks at very fast tempo!

As well as being heavier, more aggressive and more progressive (!), the new album is also much more dynamic, which, in my opinion, makes it a much more involving and powerful entity. Some people will like it, yet others will, no doubt, find it even more bewildering than our first album. We make no apologies or excuses here.

A big ‘thank you’ must go out to Fernando Pereira Lopes, who tirelessly worked with us on the album. The album in its final form would simply not have been possible without his hard work and guidance.

Of the eight tracks on the album, two of them are instrumental. There are several surprises on the album, which… Actually, I’ll leave it there for you to find out yourselves!

There is, in fact, a story in the lyrics tying all the songs together. Whether this automatically means that this is a "concept" album or not, I don't know; each listener will have to decide this for him or herself.

I have probably gone on for too long already. Without further ado, I can reveal that the second De Profundis album will be entitled A Bleak Reflection and will contain the following songs in the following order:

I. 'The Ephemeral Burden'

II. 'Ablaze In Autumn’s Fire'

III. 'Nocturnal Splendour'

IV. 'Cease To Be'

V. 'Crimson Black Bleeding'

VI. 'Cold Is The Grave'

VII. 'Longing'

VIII. 'The Mourner'

The total running time will be around 70 minutes. We are working on a release date, so more information will be posted in due course.

To coincide with us uploading the first sounds of the new album, we have a completely redesigned and updated MySpace profile courtesy of Alex York. Our website is also being updated as we speak.

On the live front, our next show will be at Portugal's Festival Ilha do Ermal. This will be the live debut of our new bassist Arran. We will be playing a set consisting entirely of new songs for the first time, which will no doubt make a special concert for us.

We are also playing in London on 15th September and in Manchester on 18th October alongside some killer bands, so please come down and support us! At the end of October, we will be playing our first ever shows in France in Lille (30th Oct) and Paris (31st Oct), which should be really special - particularly for Shoi, for whom the latter should be a proper "home" gig!

In January 2010, we planning to return to India on a headlining tour to promote the release of our first album there on Sony BMG and also to play some new songs there.

In fact, we are working on lots more stuff behind the scenes, so I hope to be able to say more really soon!

In the meanwhile, please check out our new songs and leave some comments. That would mean the world to us."