Dystopian black‑metal stewards Abhoria return with “Ambition and Delusion,” a blistering new single and music video. The track offers the first glimpse into the band’s forthcoming third album, slated for 2027 via Black Lion Records.
“Ambition and Delusion” expands Abhoria’s signature fusion of bleak black‑metal aggression and death‑metal intensity, while introducing a more progressive edge. The song surges from mid‑paced dissonance into tremolo‑picked chaos and full‑blast fury, punctuated by an unexpected steel‑guitar interlude performed by vocalist Ben Pitts, a rare flourish in black metal that sets the stage for the track’s soaring melodic solo.
Lyrically, the single explores the psyche of James Gordon Bennett, Jr., the eccentric publishing magnate infamous for scandalous behavior, reckless ambition, and the disastrous North Pole expedition he sponsored. Presented from Bennett’s own perspective, the song examines his desperate desire to transform public embarrassment into heroism, driven not by altruism, but by ego, entitlement, and delusion.
For the music video, Abhoria again collaborated with director Hunter Lamar of Digital Myle, who previously helmed the band’s 2024 visual for “The Well.” The new video blends intense performance footage with stylized vignettes of Bennett portrayed in the aesthetic of classic silent cinema, complete with title cards and era‑appropriate framing.
Guitarist/songwriter Trevor Portz cites inspiration from seeing He Who Gets Slapped (Lon Chaney) at Old Town Music Hall in El Segundo, CA, noting that the silent‑film approach “captured the perfect atmosphere for Bennett’s fractured worldview.”
“Ambition and Delusion” was mixed by Herbrand Larsen at Conclave and Earshot Studios and mastered by Tony Lindgren at Fascination Street Studios.
Abhoria will bring “Ambition and Delusion” to the stage as they join Velnias for a run of immersive, atmospheric, and emotionally heavy performances across the Southwest this October (dates listed below).
“We’re so excited to hit the road with our friends in Velnias! These will be the first shows in the Southwest, and we’re looking forward to debuting songs from our forthcoming album alongside older material. It promises to be an evening of extreme metal overindulgence!”says Abhoria‘s Trevor Portz.
Tour Dates:
Oct 15 – Denver, CO – Hi-Dive
Oct 16 – Amarillo, TX – Rockwell Event Center
Oct 17 – Dallas, TX – Haltom Theater
Oct 18 – Austin, TX – The Lost Well
Oct 19 – Midland, TX – Cotton Flat Records
Oct 20 – El Paso, TX – Mona Bar
Oct 21 – Santa Fe, NM – Stom Box
Oct 22 – Cottonwood, AZ – Queen B’s Vinyl Café
Oct 23 – Tucson, AZ – Chicago Bar
Oct 24 – Los Angeles, CA – Knucklehead Hollywood
Follow the band here.
