“Left Handed Wizard (My Eyes Look West)", new single from A Hill To Die Upon coming this Oct. 6th + cover and title from the new album

Single art: 



Album cover art (release date: late november):

I'll check it out, one of the few Black Metal bands I like.

The first image looks like they're some proto-doom band haha.  Interesting song title.  I'm curious to see the lyrics.  The "left hand path" and whatnot is satanic, so I wonder if they're addressing that?

Also, why is the wizard holding up his right hand?  

I just got to meet the Cook brothers at Furnace Fest!
They were there to see Becoming The Archetype and Living Sacrifice

It was great getting to talk with Michael for a bit!

So stoked for this! One of the few "black" metal bands I jam fairly often.
I heard there is going to be vinyl.

I’ll check it out. They have enough death metal in their sound to be interesting.

Kerrick wrote:Also, why is the wizard holding up his right hand?  

Ha! That's what I was wondering.

I'm excited to hear this. Hoping it is a lot better than the last album. 

The cover art for the new album I don't care for at all. Not trying to be mean but if I didn't know the band I would never want to purchase an album that looked like that. Evil Christmas?

I’ve been wondering if this band was still together. I’m glad to find out that they are! 

This is literally the only “black metal” style band I enjoy. And as another person pointed out, they have enough death metal mixed in to make it listenable. 

The first three albums are great!

It is Wayfaring Stranger (traditional folk song) with alternate words. Not original at all. Maybe this is an intro to a concept album since it is called black nativity and this is the 3 wise men concept?

Frozen Fire wrote:It is Wayfaring Stranger (traditional folk song) with alternate words. Not original at all. Maybe this is an intro to a concept album since it is called black nativity and this is the 3 wise men concept?

On their Omens album, they had covered another traditional folk tune called “Satan, Your Kingdom Must Come Down”.

TZ75 wrote:

Frozen Fire wrote:It is Wayfaring Stranger (traditional folk song) with alternate words. Not original at all. Maybe this is an intro to a concept album since it is called black nativity and this is the 3 wise men concept?

On their Omens album, they had covered another traditional folk tune called “Satan, Your Kingdom Must Come Down”.

Cool thing about that is it was metalized. I actually own their shirt for that song and wear it all the time.

These guys said they wanted to push the boundaries. Michael has the southern rock project The Comancheros. This isn't way off from what their personal tastes are but it is way off from what I was hoping and expecting. I'll wait for the next track I guess. I won't preorder now until I hear something I like.

This was a weird choice for the first single to release. It seems more like an intro or interlude than a proper track. Odd to choose a non-Metal song to introduce the comeback of their Extreme Metal project.

Frozen Fire wrote:It is Wayfaring Stranger (traditional folk song) with alternate words. Not original at all. Maybe this is an intro to a concept album since it is called black nativity and this is the 3 wise men concept?

Interesting to learn!
I really dig the song, it has a ominous, eerie vibe to it, so hoping it leads into some heaviness.

I'm stoked just to hear some new tunes from these guys, definitely an interesting choice for the first single but I dig it

Lyric video...

But the most important is the description of the video:

"Progressive Black/Death Metal - taken from The Black Nativity album released 24 November '23 through Rottweiler Records. The album features guest appearances from Karl Sanders (Nile), Ole Borud (Extol), Bruce Fitzhugh (Living Sacrifice) and the renowned Sakis Tolis!"

I suppose it could seem weird to have Karl and Sakis Toni's (from Rotting Christ) but the band have never been shy about their secular tastes in listening habits or their more loose living. I listen to this band despite these realities. A classic case of knowing more and yet listening anyway. I know others are more uncomfortable with that. It bothers me but doesn't break me on listening.

Frozen Fire wrote:I suppose it could seem weird to have Karl and Sakis Toni's (from Rotting Christ) but the band have never been shy about their secular tastes in listening habits or their more loose living. I listen to this band despite these realities. A classic case of knowing more and yet listening anyway. I know others are more uncomfortable with that. It bothers me but doesn't break me on listening.

They have Ole Borud... who cares about Karl and Sakis? Only kidding..

But I'm more curious to listen Bruce from LS with them

Also noticed after watching their old music video again, that the new song is also a reference back to Adept In Divinity off of Omens:

"The adept in divinity
Sought by Raphael
In conquest of the wеstern sea

Angdae dürеlen
Agarwaen Er
I am the left handed
Wizard of the War God"