PHOBETOR: “A Solitary Vigil” – Blackened Death masters return

She walks the high reaches where the rivers begin, waits for the night by the last stubborn grasses that cling tenaciously to rocky outcrops. She stares into the chill mists of morning that fill the valley below like a sea of soft, white death, breathing in the hungry silence as her broken nails pierce her soil stained skin. With thick, slow blood in her decaying veins and an old, broken, blackened heart she watches, always, for your coming. Revenant and reaver, worm-eyed ice eater, keeping her endless solitary vigil.

“A Solitary Vigil” is the new EP from PHOBETOR, acolytes of the very darkest Blackened Death Metal. It has been nearly four years since they whispered their mind warping mysteries to us, harvested beyond the walls of sleep, in the form of the “Through Deepest Fears And Darkest Minds” album; but works of great portent and visions of eternal emptiness cannot be rushed. With their line-up now expanded to encompass the renowned guitar talents of Ben Ash (STRIGOI, SATYRICON), PHOBETOR have delivered their most potent and affecting release to date.

Opening with the magnificent surging power of the title track, with its howling, elemental lead work and striking, unearthly vocal performance, the atmosphere of this new conjuration is immediately all enveloping. It twists like a malignant vapour between each punishing drum beat, each vehement vocalisation and each soul shredding chord of “Absence Of Light”, the riffs roiling and tumbling over each other like threatening storm clouds as PHOBETOR lead us deeper into the darkness than ever before. By the time we reach the rampant horror of “Where Mournful Shadows Dwell”, lead guitar notes skittering across its black ice that separates the ravenous depths from the pale grey, fading light, you will be steeped in the ichor of old gods and wizened devils, lost in the forgotten night terrors of childhood.

Mixed by Ollie Roberts (PYTHIA, BORN FOR WAR etc) and mastered by Lawrence Mackrory (DARKANE, DEFLESHED, PARADISE LOST) “A Solitary Vigil” sounds incredible – the bass imposing and vibrant, the guitars like serrated blades – it’s an inescapable sonic shroud that tightens and tightens around your desperate face. Featuring the haunting artwork of Ghost Kid, this next chapter in PHOBETOR’s tome of nightmares will be unveiled on July 25th.

She is watching…and waiting…for you.

PHOBETOR line-up:
Debora Conserva – Vocals
Marc Dyos – Drums
Ross White – Guitar
Ben Ash – Guitar
Dredgewood – Bass

“A Solitary Vigil” tracklist:

1. A Solitary Vigil
2. Absence of Light
3. Black Fading Winter
4. The Vacant World Within Us
5. Where Mournful Shadows Dwell