Continental Earth – a barren wasteland
Seas seething with evolving life
Ghastly entities to some, magnificent to others
Annihilation!
Black funeral!
Inconceivable solidification
Looting rancid graves
Unveiling ancient life conserved
Primordial Rigor Mortis
A requiem for the long dead
They think I am blind but I can see
My ventral eyes are guiding me
Differentiating dusk from dawn
Moving through the flocculent zone
While external shields are slightly open
Refined appendages act as thrusters
Drive me through the blackened waters
Escaping predators that taunt my soul
Horrific scenes surround my presence
Complete enrollment my defense
Protective armor shields my spirit
Isopygous fit deceiving my tormentors
They argue my affinity but I could not care less
In spite of sage bickering I am evolutionary fit
Chorus:
Enigmatic presence
In hostile waters
Food chain gamble
When things get horrid I enroll
Disconsolate submarine darkness
Gathering the horde of arthropodan no goods and allies
Infinitesimal cuticle-bearing beasts
Dwelling in the dysoxic flocculent zone
Zero point five Gigaannum
Marine meiofaunal residents
Surrounded by pitch black stinking mud
Sudden agonizing death
Non-discriminatory towards the innocent and the weak
Extinction by the masses
Immediate entombment
Phosphate-rich fluids incrusting the remains
Permanent preservational Rigor Mortis triggered
Frozen hunters, frozen prey
Transforming corpses, lithifying carcasses
Conservational three-dimensional preservation
Agnostus, Skara, Hesslandona, Rehbachiella
The usual ‘Orsten’ suspects, the uncanny herd
Ancestral parasites – blood sucking pentastomids
Embryonic murder – enrolled scalidophorans
Extinct archaic heavyweights
Concealed in reeking Cambrian rocks
Immaculate appendages, full-scale anatomic body plans
Sepulchral desecration revealing perpetual ecdysozoans
Phylogeny, ontogeny, evolutionary pathways
Ancient morphologies inferring long lost organismal routines
Primordial Rigor Mortis
Disconsolate submarine darkness
Gathering the horde of arthropodan no goods and allies
Infinitesimal cuticle-bearing beasts
Dwelling in the dysoxic flocculent zone
Zero point five Gigaannum
Marine meiofaunal residents
Surrounded by pitch black stinking mud
Sudden agonizing death
Non-discriminatory towards the innocent and the weak
Extinction by the masses
Immediate entombment
Phosphate-rich fluids incrusting the remains
Permanent preservational Rigor Mortis triggered
Frozen hunters, frozen prey
Transforming corpses, lithifying carcasses
Conservational three-dimensional preservation
Agnostus, Skara, Hesslandona, Rehbachiella
The usual ‘Orsten’ suspects, the uncanny herd
Ancestral parasites – blood sucking pentastomids
Embryonic murder – enrolled scalidophorans
Extinct archaic heavyweights
Concealed in reeking Cambrian rocks
Immaculate appendages, full-scale anatomic body plans
Sepulchral desecration revealing perpetual ecdysozoans
Phylogeny, ontogeny, evolutionary pathways
Ancient morphologies inferring long lost organismal routines
Primordial Rigor Mortis
about
All-star line up doing ‘Paleo Metal’ project: PRIMORDIAL RIGOR MORTIS
Swedish paleontology professor and metal devotee Mats E. Eriksson invited some of his favorite musicians and recorded an album that sonically pays homage to a group of exceptionally preserved, half-a-billion-year-old fossils, which is target of his research. Eriksson says he approached the musicians with the following mindset; “not only am I a major fan of their respective work but I also focused on perceived personalities, i.e., individuals that seemingly ooze dedication combined with a jovial disposition. And of course musicians who might appreciate science and, not least, quirky and unorthodox combinations. Man, was I proven right!”
The PRIMORDIAL RIGOR MORTIS record features four tracks with lyrics penned by Eriksson (SPIDER DEATH BC). The lines deal with the extraordinary, so-called ‘Orsten’ fossils from the Cambrian Period (c. 541-485 million years ago) while simultaneously being staged in a dark, ‘metal’ landscape. For this project, Eriksson worked closely primarily with Tomas Andersson (DENATA, SEANCE, FREEVIL) as the main music composer, instrumentalist and sparring partner. The cover artwork of the record features a stunning painting by the one and only Joe Petagno, who made his own interpretation of the force of nature killing off and preserving the ‘Orsten’ creatures.
The record kicks off with an eerily evil, yet beautiful soundscape composed by award-winning, clavier wizard Fredrik Andersson (PHANATOS), and with Eriksson’s lyrics performed by horror metal ‘monster’ and multi-instrumentalist Snowy Shaw (SNOWY SHAW BAND, ex-NOTRE DAME, ex-KING DIAMOND, ex-MERCYFUL FATE, ex-DREAM EVIL etc). In this prelude piece, Shaw chillingly guides the listener into the long lost world of strange beasts and their subsequent fate on the paleontologist dissection table.
Following this is an explosive, brief death/thrash metal piece coined “Enigmatic Presence (Agnostus pisiformis)” composed by Andersson and Eriksson. Johan Larsson’s (SEANCE) guttural growls violate your ear drums while paying tribute to A. pisiformis, a seminal creature in the Cambrian seas.
The third track “Primordial Rigor Mortis I” is sort of a cross-over composition; thrashy rhythms meet more melodic and traditional style metal. Composed by Andersson it features vocalist extraordinaire Charles “Chulle” Rytkönen (MORGANA LEFAY, CIBOLA JUNCTION), while also flavored by some Andersson growling. As icing on the ‘Paleo Metal’ cake, there is an alien-esque guitar solo by none other than the astonishing Mattias “Ia” Eklundh (FREAK KITCHEN).
The record terminates with “Primordial Rigor Mortis II”, a death metal beast by Andersson, who also performs Eriksson’s lyrics alongside the helpful growling of Larsson. Two amazing guitar solos coloring the tune are attributed legendary death metal guitarist Karl Sanders (NILE).
In addition to the digital release, the tracks are also available on a collector’s edition 12”, 45 RPM picture vinyl record, limited to 250 hand-numbered copies worldwide . Of course the vinyl is pressed on authentic fossils! All tracks were mixed by Mique Flesh (SEANCE, FREEVIL, ex-WITCHERY) and the record is self-released by Eriksson, who also produced all songs together with Andersson. Eriksson says “I could not have been more proud and pleased with the outcome and I extend my deepest gratitude towards all amazing people involved in this project”. Horns up!
supported by 5 fans who also own “Primordial Rigor Mortis”
La traversée du désert n'aura pas duré quarante jours mais quatre longues années...
Avec Панихида, Батюшка renaît enfin de ses cendres et, bien que désormais seul (ou plus exactement entouré de deux chanteurs), Христофор accomplit un miracle. Il s'inscrit dans la continuité de Литоургиiа avec un black metal orthodoxe qui nous convie ici à une cérémonie dédiée aux morts. Sa vision est englobante : les mélodies, la gravité et le silence font toucher le paradis ; l'agressivité est luciférienne. Jordan Vauvert