Following the November release of their BBC Session 2011 Anno Domini two-track live 12″ via Southern Lord, new recordings from WOLVES IN THE THRONE ROOM have been confirmed for a 2014 release. Following several months of anticipation, the Cascadian black metal clan comprised of brothers Aaron and Nathan Weaver now humbly unveil their impending full-length release, Celestite.
Taking a different approach than their previous LPs, Celestite is a completely newly envisioned, parallel-universe version of Celestial Lineage, the beautifully blackened fourth studio full-length epic WOLVES IN THE THRONE ROOM released via Southern Lord in 2011. Celestite arises with a whole new, ethereal approach. There are no drums and no vocals. Rather, deep, heavy crystalline synthesizer journeying, Eno-inspired analog processing and arcane acoustic instrumentation expand upon dimensions folded within the universe of Celestial Lineage.
The Weavers tell us: “To make Celestite, we delved into the subterranean sonics that are buried in the mix of Celestial Lineage. We isolated them, processed them and took this unearthed soundscape as our starting point. Upon this base we recorded an entirely new album. Some melodies from Celestial Lineage are recognizable, but these familiar sounds appear as ghosts, barely tethered to the original compositions. This new album is an unorthodox foray; a fully instrumental, experimental companion record to Celestial Lineage. We left some work undone with Celestial Lineage. The recording of that album in the Winter of 2011 was a monumental project for us personally, and the creative fire from those recording sessions was still burning. This recording process was an opportunity to journey into our own inner universe to complete that which needed to be completed.”
Paired once again with producer Randall Dunn (EARTH, SUNN O))), Master Musicians Of Bukkake), Celestite came to fruition at Avast Studios and WOLVES IN THE THRONE ROOM’s own Olympia-based studio Owl Lodge. While cloistered during the recording sessions they made use of a mammoth arsenal of crumbling vintage equipment including a Serge Modular System, Korg Poly6, Korg MS20, Korg Mono/Poly, Roland Juno 106, Roland Jupiter 6, Roland Super jx10, Jomox Airbase 99, Access Virus and more. The album also features a guest wind ensemble including friends Josiah Boothby on French Horn, Steve Moore (Earth, Sunn O))), STEBMO) on trombone, and both Mara Winter and Veronica Dye on flute.
The upcoming release of Celestite is doubly exciting for Wolves In The Throne Room as it will mark another new venture for the duo; the inaugural release on their own new label, Diadem Records.
The band states, “Diadem Records is the imprint we created to release Celestite and future albums. Most importantly for us, working on this album has revealed a whole new vein of creative energy for WITTR. Now that the long trip of creating this album is finished, our appetite is whetted for future projects, thus we feel it necessary to pre-empt the inevitable chatter that will accompany the release of this record. WOLVES IN THE THRONE ROOM has not permanently abandoned the guitar and drums! We sense that one day – perhaps sooner, perhaps later – we will be inspired to return to our stacks of amplifiers and cabinets to create new music.”
Stay tuned for samples of the music created for Celestite as well as the album’s cover art, official release dates, pressing information and more to be announced in the weeks ahead.