Well, this latest video from Finnish death-doom trio God Disease isn’t gonna fill your soul with warmth and joy (not that you likely came here looking for such things anyway). The track, “Ashes,” is a lumbering funereal crusher that pretty much wallows in suffering and sorrow. The accompanying video, courtesy of Aarni Visuals, is equally dispiriting. alternating between close ups of a very grim and animated Ilkka Johannes Laaksonen (vocals) and various shots of decay (bones, teeth, a bloody rose). It’s dark.
Laaksonen’s partners in crime—Henry Randström (bass), Mika Elola (drums)—are nowhere to be seen, but their musical presence is certainly felt. “Ashes” is taken from God Disease’s upcoming second full-length, Apocalyptic Doom, which features the guitar work of Are Kangus and Samantha Schuldiner. The album was recorded at Kauhajoki Nightmare Studios at Walther Productions, mixed by Olli Nokkala at Studio Kolotila and mastered by Henri Sorvali at Trollhorn Music. It’s set for release on CD and digitally via Gruesome Records on March 10. You can place your preorders here.
Here’s what the band had to say about the video/track:
“Apocalyptic Doom offers what is promised in the title. The lyrical theme for this album is apocalypse, be it spiritual, physical, actual apocalypse of the whole world or just something that feels like an apocalypse at the time, but in the end spawns new life.
This is very much a pandemic album and the whole writing process took place during the strictest restrictions, and it shows on everything on this album. However, the title of this album was already set before none of us even knew that the world would soon be in a constant state of crisis. The album cover is an oil painting done by Nuno Zuki (Belial Necroart) and it depicts this album perfectly. This is the darkest place God Disease has ever dwelled, but even the darkest darkness has that one small glimmer of hope. We found it and snuffed it out.
The video was shot in early 2022 with very talented Mikko Parkkonen (Aarni Visuals) and it gives out the cold vibe that God Disease is all about. “Ashes” is a song about lost love and tells a story of the last person ever to walk this earth.
No salvation for mankind.”