UK black metallers Thus Defiled are celebrating their 25th anniversary with a new EP entitled A Return To The Shadows.
For quarter of a century the band has cut a blazing path through the black metal underground, releasing a series of unholy, Christ-crushing albums and EPs and sharing the stage with the greatest extreme metal has ever produced – Mayhem, Blasphemy, Rotting Christ, Cradle Of Filth, Dissection, Cannibal Corpse, Immolation and many more.
In 2016, their deluxe reissue An Unhallowed Legacy packaged two of their most sought-after releases Fire Serpent Dawn and A Darker Beauty together and received high praise here with Will Pinfold’s ZT review noting a “…passion and fire that makes ‘epic black metal’ seem an inadequate description.”
Now Thus Defiled have returned, bringing with them a new EP A Return To The Shadows which will feature one previously unheard original track and four vicious cover versions of tracks that the band hold dear. Frontman Paul C comments:
“25 years in. Where did the time go? This recording has been in the pipeline for a while, but now with the band turning 25 it seemed the right time to finally drag it out into the light. When we flew to Texas to record this EP, once again re-uniting the band with Daemonspawn producer Tim Bartlett at Noise Farm Studio, we had one new track written and had decided to cover a few songs that made a huge impression on us as kids. The only rule: no black metal covers! So, over many beers, many suggestions and many arguments we ended up with this varied selection of metal classics: Death – ‘Evil Dead’, Metallica – ‘Creeping Death’, Morbid Angel – ‘Demon Seed’ and W.A.S.P. – ‘Hellion’. An eclectic mix from different corners of the ‘80s, all given a Thus Defiled interpretation. You can never improve on an original, only pay tribute. And this is ours.”
Two special guests have contributed their talents to the recordings. Donn Donni (ex-Vesperian Sorrow) adds backing vocals to ‘Creeping Death’ and Mike Browning (Nocturnus, ex-Morbid Angel) takes over vocal duties on a brutal recreation of Morbid Angel’s classic ‘Demon Seed’.
The EP is scheduled for release on the 6th June 2017 but the band, in a mysteriously charitable mood, have offered the release as a free download which is available now from the band’s website. All the band ask is that fans, if they are able, give a donation to the Chuck Schuldiner-approved musician’s charity Sweet Relief.
It’s a very special, and possibly final, release from a very special band. And it’s for a great cause too. Get involved!
