Finnish Helsinki-based blackened death metal band Gomorran release their debut record, Excerpts From the Dark Age, today ( December 3rd) via Inverse Records. To celebrate the release, the band also released their third music video, "Esaiah". Check it out below.

 

Guitarist Joonatan Wiitasalo & drummer Olli Lappalainen comment: “It is an incredible feeling to behold the final product. When we first started this project in 2019 with Joonatan and thought about all the things we could do, the making and publishing of our own record was barely a dream. We talked about “what would be cool to do”. In the end that alone motivated a lot and it sparked a deep will to create something real. In a way it was evident, that nothing happens by itself and no one is gonna make anything come to fruition for you. Then we formed a band and now after two years of hard work we have a complete record and big hopes and medium sized plans for the future.

We have poured countless hours of time and energy into this record, but lo and behold this chapter came to an end. This record is our magnum opus at least so far, a project that let’s us show the work we have done during this quarantine year. This record encapsulates four musicians’ lifelong love of metal music - the song ideas that have finally come into reality.”

Tracklist:

"Tavern"
"Black Plague"
"Sermon"
"Hopeless Endeavor"
"Esaiah"
"Hail Caesar"

Gomorran was formed in Helsinki in the Fall of 2019, when Olli Lappalainen’s hiatus from playing drums came to an end. There was a burning desire to form a new band and get back to producing metal music. Guitarist Joonatan Wiitasalo ended his own hiatus and joined to release his heavy music creativity. In the following months many new song ideas came to light.

Even though the composing was proceeding strong, the band desperately lacked members. By the end of summer 2020 the band was joined by an ambassador of evil soundwaves, singer guitarist Perttu Laamanen. Perttu gave a huge boost to the composing of new material. Song structures and ideas formed into complete songs and Gomorran started to plan on producing its debut record. In the beginning of 2021, right before the recordings of Excerpts from the Dark Age, bassist Panu Nykänen joined to amplify the lower frequencies.

When Olli and Joonatan wanted to compose merciless ass-kicking music, inspired by Ajattara and Cannibal Corpse, Gomorran’s first song Black Plague was born in the spring of 2020. The song was held as a beacon to the direction the band should musically strive forward to. Gomorran perceives their music as death metal that draws influence from the murkiness of black metal. The impact of other music genres cannot be downplayed, since the members of the band own a wide range of musical influences. Lyrics on the Excerpts from the Dark Age record include harrowing stories about the Roman empire, Middle Ages and from pagan literature.

The band ended up recording their debut record, Excerpts From The Dark Age, independently in the band’s rehearsal room in Vallila, Helsinki. Mixing and recording was done by Gomorran’s drummer Olli Lappalainen. Choir, keyboard and strings were arranged and produced by Markus Lappalainen. The recording and mixing of the album was finished in July of 2021, following mastering done by Sound Spiral Studios’ Juho Räihä.

"Sermon"

"Hopeless Endeavor" 

Photo by Janne Pappila