Altar Of Oblivion

The origins of Altar of Oblivion can be traced back to 2003, when Martin Sparvath (guitars/vocals) and Allan Larsen (drums) formed a duo called Summoning Sickness. Around three years later, this doubtful project morphed into Altar of Oblivion and the entity went from playing simple black/speed/ heavy-metal to epic doom metal. To complete the lineup, two new members in the shape of former opera-singer Mik Mentor and bassist/caffeine-addict Christian Nørgaard were recruited, and the band has, so far, several demos, EPs, a live album, and three full-lengths under its belt. Now, a new chapter opens up for Altar Of Oblivion, while the band closes the door on a brilliant past before looking forward to a new album in 2024. 

Fresh after being signed to From The Vaults, epic doom metallers Altar of Oblivion announced the release of the EP “Burning Memories”. The five tracks were recorded in 2016 just after the completion of the band’s third full-length. Seven years later, the EP was finally released in June of 2023.

“In The Cesspit Of Divine Decay”, the new album from the Danish epic doomsters, will be a concept work based on the diary of guitarist Martin Meyer Sparvath’s maternal great-grandfather Jesper Wilhem Meyer, who reluctantly fought for the German Empire during The Great War (1914-1918). 

Preparations for this aural endeavour began in 2005, when the band tracked a demo version of what years later would morph into the now completed album, which was originally supposed to be the debut full-length of the early duo incarnation of the band. This album contains some of the band’s first ever creations, and in many ways, it can be regarded as some sort of Altar Of Oblivion-prototype, bringing forth and spewing out their darkest and most traditional epic doom-work to date.

During and since the pandemic, Altar Of Oblivion have been in recording mode, finishing both new and old stuff, including two full-lengths, two EPs and an acoustic album, enabling the band to take a well-deserved studio-break in order to focus on live shows from now on. A number of gigs have been confirmed for 2024, and the collective is now looking forward to hitting the stage again, heavier, older and more invigorated than ever. Time will tell if playing live is the right cure for a severe case of discoloured studio tan.

“Epic doom is not a subgenre that many bands even attempt, let alone excel at, still less expand upon, so this Aalborg five-piece deserve mad props for bringing new life to this profound outsider sound. With the frosty melancholy of Candlemass, the mystical drama of Solitude Aeturnus and the barbarian brawn of Solstice, AOO mix in new levels of emotional vulnerability via the Robert Smith-ish vocals of Mik Mentor, and never get lost in sluggish gloom, maintaining trad metal fundamentals with a strong, clear vocal line, a sturdy gallop and a spine-tingling melody” Chris Shantler (Metal Hammer UK) 

Link:
Official site

Latest single:
“Silent Pain”

Video: