Just about a year ago, Decibel‘s Joseph Schafer interviewed Toronto epic doom newcomers Smoulder for this very site. Propelled by their demo The Sword Woman, Smoulder have quickly struck again with their debut album, Times of Obscene Evil and Wild Daring, due for release next month on Cruz Del Sur.
To give a taste of what the classically-styled quintet has in store on that album, Decibel has an exclusive stream of lead song “Ilian of Garathorm.”
“’Ilian’ is our ode to one of the infinite incarnations of the Eternal Champion, Michael Moorcock’s immortal anti-hero,” vocalist Sarah Ann tells Decibel. “When the Champion of Garathorm awakens, she’s unaware of who she is, and her past lives are swirling about her brain in a confused fog as she eventually pieces together her mission. This song is about her bloody, revenge-soaked escapades, and the musical accompaniment is bombastic and epic. It sets the tone for the remainder of the album, which is similarly gory.”
Hear the opener below and head to Smoulder’s Bandcamp to pre-order the record before it’s released on April 26.
