Vertebra Atlantis

Vertebra Atlantis Conducts Their "Carnal Denouement," Transcending Flesh Via Death Metal (Early Track Stream)


Let’s discuss the vertebra atlantis (otherwise known as the Atlas Vertebra) for today’s anatomy lesson. This vertebra connects the skull to the spinal cord, giving it particular relevance to death metal. It’s the joint that drives headbanging because it’s involved in flexing and retracting the top of the spinal cord. That’s a bit beyond where most death metal bands would stop their anatomical fixations, unless they’re detailing a disemboweling ritual. Vertebra Atlantis’ upcoming debut album Lustral Purge in Cerulean Bliss encourages headbanging (and the use of your spinal column) with riffs fat enough to feed an entire family. That being said, the Italian blackened death trio better represents the metaphorical connection of the brain and the body. They parse the spiritual realm wherein physical and emotional responses give way to out-of-body experiences. Listen to a dense early track from the record and pass beyond the corporeal—here’s “Carnal Denouement,” premiering now:

Lustral Purge in Cerulean Bliss ties knotty, old school death metal to unpredictable ambient passages, following black metal’s dismissal of conventional song structures in favor of neverending torrents. There’s a relentless, omnipresent atmosphere encircling the album. This isn’t to say Vertebra Atlantis don’t offer reprieves; it’s that the quieter soundscapes reject de-escalation. Tracks disintegrate then reconstruct themselves, rematerializing after breakdowns amidst atmospheric breaks in the sequences. G.G. fills these breaks with synths like calls from beyond this world. Vertebra Atlantis’ embolden this contrast with weighty guitars. Imagine an intersection between Blut Aus Nord’s ghastly tones and Portal’s dusty riffs. They’re tangible enough that you feel the treble in the mix but, like all of Lustral Purge in Cerulean Bliss, there’s an otherworldly element. By feeding bodily and intellectual sensations, Vertebrae Atlantis’ debut strikes at a level beyond headbanging.

Lustral Purge in Cerulean Bliss releases November 12th via I, Voidhanger Records – Bandcamp / e-Shop.