With more than three decades shaping the dark frontiers of European black metal, ENTHRONED return with Ashspawn, their twelfth full-length and most uncompromising statement to date. Conceived across six years of ritual-based creation, the album operates as both spiritual autopsy and resurrection: a descent into the void followed by sublimation through disciplined negation. Its conceptual framework was co-developed with occult author Gilles de Laval, whose metaphysical structures, demonological mappings, and ritualistic calculus serve as the album’s lyrical spine, transforming each text into a vector of initiation rather than simple narrative.
Ashspawn represents a total unity of vision. The trio; Nornagest, T. Kaos, and Menthor, channel ferocious blast beats, oppressive mid-tempos, and progressive structures into an arsenal that moves between violent catharsis and crushing introspection. Solos oscillate from Morbid Angel-leaned frenzy to sharp, ascendant phrasing that recalls classic heavy metal virtuosity, all delivered with intention and austerity. The result is an album that stands darker, heavier, and more personal than anything in Enthroned’s catalogue, crafted as a transformative weapon rather than an act of reiteration.
Stream the full album now: https://youtu.be/abmSFNxYuRs
More than thirty years after their formation, Enthroned remain a singular presence within black metal: deliberate, unflinching, and wholly aligned with their esoteric trajectory. Ashspawn stands as the culmination of this path, and a work shaped by absolute conviction.
Ashspawn is out December 5th via Season of Mist.
Pre-order & pre-save: https://orcd.co/enthronedashspawn
Tracklist:
1. Crawling Temples (5:35)
2. Basilisk Triumphant (5:53)
3. Stillborn Litany (6:48)
4. Ashspawn (4:40)
5. Raviasamin (4:26)
6. Sightless (3:39)
7. Chysalid (4:32)
8. Ashen Advocacy (7:58)
9. Assertion (6:44)
Full runtime: 50:17
Country: Belgium (BE)
Genre: Occult Black Metal
FFO: Marduk, Dark Funeral, Gorgoroth, 1349
With the release of their twelfth full-length Ashspawn, ENTHRONED mark a new chapter in their three-decade reign of ritualistic black metal. Conceived across six years of deliberate creation, the album emerges as both an autopsy and a resurrection: a descent into spiritual death followed by the sublimation of rebirth. Written in close collaboration with occult author Gilles de Laval, Ashspawn channels arcane praxis, metaphysical calculus, and esoteric mapping into a work that is as much ritual invocation as it is music. It is the culmination of Enthroned’s uncompromising vision: a weapon of transformation forged in fire and darkness.
Formed in 1993 in Namur, Belgium, Enthroned arose from the ashes of the blackened underground, quickly asserting themselves as one of the most relentless voices of European black metal. Their debut, Prophecies of Pagan Fire(1995), established the band’s reputation for feral speed, occult imagery, and unflinching dedication to the Left Hand Path. Less than a year after their formation, they signed their first record deal, making an immediate impact on the international scene.
Tragedy struck early in their journey when founding drummer Cernunnos took his own life in 1997, shortly after the recording of their sophomore album. Using his preserved rehearsal tracks, the band pressed forward with Towards the Skullthrone of Satan(1997), transforming grief into fury and ensuring Enthroned’s continuation as a vessel of uncompromising black metal. This resilience became a defining trait: through numerous line-up changes, the band’s spirit never wavered, anchored by a vision that was ritualistic rather than trend driven.
Over the following decades, Enthroned’s discography expanded into a formidable catalogue. Albums such as Armoured Bestial Hell (2001) and Carnage in Worlds Beyond(2003) pushed their sound into ever more violent and atmospheric territories. The mid-2000s witnessed a period of reinvention, with Tetra Karcist (2007) and Pentagrammaton (2010) deepening their exploration of occult philosophy and esoteric symbolism. Obsidium (2012) and Sovereigns (2014) continued this evolution, balancing ferocious aggression with ritual atmospheres. By the time of Cold Black Suns(2019), their debut for Season of Mist, Enthroned had crystallized a reputation as one of black metal’s most enduring institutions: a band that both honoured the origins of the genre and transcended them with an intellectual, ritualistic dimension.
Now, in 2025, Ashspawn stands as Enthroned’s most ambitious and personal statement to date. Musically, it embodies a total unity of vision: ferocious blast beats, oppressive mid-tempos, and progressive structures collapse into one another, laced with solos that veer from Morbid Angel-like madness to Judas Priest-inspired virtuosity. Lyrically, it operates as a metaphysical architecture, its verses designed not merely to be heard but to infect and transform. Tracks such as “Raviasamin,” “Ashspawn,” and “Ashen Advocacy” reveal its dual nature: violent catharsis intertwined with crushing introspection, a tribunal where the self is broken and reforged.
More than three decades after their inception, Enthroned remain steadfast in their purpose: not to replicate the past, but to realign with the forces that birthed them. Ashspawn is the testimony of this alignment, a ritual weapon that rejects nostalgia and compromise. It is a resurrection of spirit through suffering, a reaffirmation of Enthroned’s place among black metal’s most visionary entities.
Line-up:
Nornagest — Vocals & Samplers
T. Kaos — Guitars & Bass
Menthor — Drums & Percussion
Production Credits:
Recorded at Ophiussa Studio, London, UK.
Produced by Menthor.
Mixed by Stefano Santi at SPVN Studio, Milan, Italy.
Mastered by Phil Bashford at The Hive, London, UK.
Cover Art:
Cover artwork by Jose Gabriel Alegria Sambogal
(https://www.instagram.com/josegabrielalegriasabogal/)
Photography:
Band photography by Emanuela Giurano
Pre-save & Pre-order: https://orcd.co/enthronedashspawn
Follow Enthroned:
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/Frater.Silurian
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/enthronedofficial/
Bandcamp: https://enthroned.bandcamp.com/
YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@enthronedofficial
Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/artist/5lmT6zZl7aPNg8hv5UrJGz
Apple Music: https://itunes.apple.com/artist/enthroned/47713289
Deezer: https://www.deezer.com/artist/14611
Tidal: https://tidal.com/browse/artist/3604477
Available Formats:
Digital Download
CD Digipak
12″ Vinyl Gatefold – Black
12″ Coloured Vinyl Gatefold – Red
12″ Coloured Vinyl Gatefold – Gold w/ Black Splatters
