The Chthonic Chronicles
Encyclopedia
The Chthonic Chronicles is Bal-Sagoth
's sixth album, the first in five years since 2001's Atlantis Ascendant
. It is rumoured to be their last album; their first album
's introduction song is called "Hatheg-Kla" and the final song on The Chthonic Chronicles is called "Return to Hatheg-Kla", perhaps making their vision of an epic Hexalogy come full circle. Although Bal-Sagoth vocalist/lyricist Byron Roberts
most often refers to The Chthonic Chronicles as "the end of the Hexalogy," this could also refer to the end of this particular set of stories. Byron has stated himself that there is an abundance of lyrical material left for the possible continuation of Bal-Sagoth.
Bal-Sagoth's now-established tradition of lyrics revolving around antediluvian settings such as Atlantis
, Lemuria
and Mu
is once again present, and song titles such as "Shackled to the Trilithon of Kutulu" indicate that the heavy H. P. Lovecraft
inspiration, that set a tone of cosmic horror to the lyrical aspects of their previous albums, is present too. The band continues previous storylines (which began on previous albums) in the songs "Invocations Beyond the Outer-World Night", "The Obsidian Crown Unbound" and "Unfettering the Hoary Sentinels of Karnak".
The obscurely-worded album title refers to a key story element in the lyrics, and the chronicles themselves are a pure work of fiction from lyrics writer Byron Roberts
. The very rare word has been used in literature by T. S. Eliot
, C. F. Keary and M. McCarthy, and is Greek in origin, meaning "earthly", specifically dealing with the underworld and spirits. (More info about Chthonic
).
This album was released in Europe on March 10, 2006 through Nuclear Blast
, and was released in the US on May 16, 2006 through Candlelight Records
USA.
"The Hammer of the Emperor" is the only track of the album in which Byron's deep voice is the only performed.
Bal-Sagoth
Bal-Sagoth is a symphonic black metal band from Yorkshire, England, formed in 1993.Originally formed as an epic/symphonic black metal band with strong death metal elements, vocalist/lyricist Byron Roberts took the name 'Bal-Sagoth' from the Robert E. Howard short story "The Gods of Bal-Sagoth"...
's sixth album, the first in five years since 2001's Atlantis Ascendant
Atlantis Ascendant
Atlantis Ascendant is Bal-Sagoth's fifth album. It was released in 2001 through Nuclear Blast. This was the first Bal-Sagoth album to be recorded with digital recording technology....
. It is rumoured to be their last album; their first album
A Black Moon Broods over Lemuria
A Black Moon Broods over Lemuria, is Bal-Sagoth's 1995 debut album after their 1993 demo. The album was recorded in a two week period in June 1994, but due to label problems the album was released almost a year later...
's introduction song is called "Hatheg-Kla" and the final song on The Chthonic Chronicles is called "Return to Hatheg-Kla", perhaps making their vision of an epic Hexalogy come full circle. Although Bal-Sagoth vocalist/lyricist Byron Roberts
Byron Roberts
Byron Roberts, also known as Byron A. Roberts, is the vocalist/lyricist and founder of the British symphonic extreme metal band Bal-Sagoth.Originally hailing from Yorkshire, England, and also holding full Canadian citizenship, due to many years spent living in Ontario and Quebec, Roberts graduated...
most often refers to The Chthonic Chronicles as "the end of the Hexalogy," this could also refer to the end of this particular set of stories. Byron has stated himself that there is an abundance of lyrical material left for the possible continuation of Bal-Sagoth.
Bal-Sagoth's now-established tradition of lyrics revolving around antediluvian settings such as Atlantis
Atlantis
Atlantis is a legendary island first mentioned in Plato's dialogues Timaeus and Critias, written about 360 BC....
, Lemuria
Lemuria (continent)
Lemuria is the name of a hypothetical "lost land" variously located in the Indian and Pacific Oceans. The concept's 19th century origins lie in attempts to account for discontinuities in biogeography; however, the concept of Lemuria has been rendered obsolete by modern theories of plate tectonics...
and Mu
Mu (lost continent)
Mu is the name of a hypothetical continent that allegedly existed in one of Earth's oceans, but disappeared at the dawn of human history.The concept and the name were proposed by 19th century traveler and writer Augustus Le Plongeon, who claimed that several ancient civilizations, such as those of...
is once again present, and song titles such as "Shackled to the Trilithon of Kutulu" indicate that the heavy H. P. Lovecraft
H. P. Lovecraft
Howard Phillips Lovecraft --often credited as H.P. Lovecraft — was an American author of horror, fantasy and science fiction, especially the subgenre known as weird fiction....
inspiration, that set a tone of cosmic horror to the lyrical aspects of their previous albums, is present too. The band continues previous storylines (which began on previous albums) in the songs "Invocations Beyond the Outer-World Night", "The Obsidian Crown Unbound" and "Unfettering the Hoary Sentinels of Karnak".
The obscurely-worded album title refers to a key story element in the lyrics, and the chronicles themselves are a pure work of fiction from lyrics writer Byron Roberts
Byron Roberts
Byron Roberts, also known as Byron A. Roberts, is the vocalist/lyricist and founder of the British symphonic extreme metal band Bal-Sagoth.Originally hailing from Yorkshire, England, and also holding full Canadian citizenship, due to many years spent living in Ontario and Quebec, Roberts graduated...
. The very rare word has been used in literature by T. S. Eliot
T. S. Eliot
Thomas Stearns "T. S." Eliot OM was a playwright, literary critic, and arguably the most important English-language poet of the 20th century. Although he was born an American he moved to the United Kingdom in 1914 and was naturalised as a British subject in 1927 at age 39.The poem that made his...
, C. F. Keary and M. McCarthy, and is Greek in origin, meaning "earthly", specifically dealing with the underworld and spirits. (More info about Chthonic
Chthonic
Chthonic designates, or pertains to, deities or spirits of the underworld, especially in relation to Greek religion. The Greek word khthon is one of several for "earth"; it typically refers to the interior of the soil, rather than the living surface of the land or the land as territory...
).
This album was released in Europe on March 10, 2006 through Nuclear Blast
Nuclear Blast
Nuclear Blast is an independent record label and mail order record distributor with subsidiaries in Germany, the United States and Brazil. The record label was founded in 1987 by Markus Staiger in Germany. Originally releasing hardcore punk records, the label moved on to releasing albums by melodic...
, and was released in the US on May 16, 2006 through Candlelight Records
Candlelight Records
Candlelight Records is an independent record label based in Europe founded by former Extreme Noise Terror bassist Lee Barrett, though it has had a division in the United States since January 2001. Candlelight Records specialises in black metal and death metal, having bands such as Emperor,...
USA.
"The Hammer of the Emperor" is the only track of the album in which Byron's deep voice is the only performed.
Track listing
- All Songs Written By Byron RobertsByron RobertsByron Roberts, also known as Byron A. Roberts, is the vocalist/lyricist and founder of the British symphonic extreme metal band Bal-Sagoth.Originally hailing from Yorkshire, England, and also holding full Canadian citizenship, due to many years spent living in Ontario and Quebec, Roberts graduated...
, Jonny MaudlingJonny MaudlingJonny Maudling is an English composer, keyboard player and former drummer for the band Bal-Sagoth. Maudling's primary instruments are Roland synthesizers when playing live. He comes from a musical family and was classically trained on piano from an early age...
and Chris Maudling.
- "The Sixth Adulation of His Chthonic Majesty" - 4:20
- "Invocations Beyond the Outer-WorldHollow EarthThe Hollow Earth hypothesis proposes that the planet Earth is either entirely hollow or otherwise contains a substantial interior space. The hypothesis has been shown to be wrong by observational evidence, as well as by the modern understanding of planet formation; the scientific community has...
Night" - 5:26 - "Six Score and Ten Oblations To a Malefic Avatar" - 6:08
- "The Obsidian Crown Unbound" - 5:58
- "The Fallen Kingdoms of the Abyssal Plain" - 4:38
- "Shackled to the Trilithon of KutuluCthulhuCthulhu is a fictional character that first appeared in the short story "The Call of Cthulhu", published in the pulp magazine Weird Tales in 1928. The character was created by writer H. P...
" - 4:02 - "The Hammer of the Emperor" - 6:58
- "Unfettering the Hoary Sentinels of KarnakKarnakThe Karnak Temple Complex—usually called Karnak—comprises a vast mix of decayed temples, chapels, pylons, and other buildings, notably the Great Temple of Amun and a massive structure begun by Pharaoh Ramses II . Sacred Lake is part of the site as well. It is located near Luxor, some...
" - 4:22 - "To Storm the Cyclopean Gates of ByzantiumByzantiumByzantium was an ancient Greek city, founded by Greek colonists from Megara in 667 BC and named after their king Byzas . The name Byzantium is a Latinization of the original name Byzantion...
" - 4:57 - "Arcana Antediluvia" - 5:07
- "Beneath the Crimson Vaults of Cydonia" - 5:15
- "Return to Hatheg-Kla" - 3:28
Personnel
- Byron RobertsByron RobertsByron Roberts, also known as Byron A. Roberts, is the vocalist/lyricist and founder of the British symphonic extreme metal band Bal-Sagoth.Originally hailing from Yorkshire, England, and also holding full Canadian citizenship, due to many years spent living in Ontario and Quebec, Roberts graduated...
- vocals - Chris Maudling - guitars
- Jonny MaudlingJonny MaudlingJonny Maudling is an English composer, keyboard player and former drummer for the band Bal-Sagoth. Maudling's primary instruments are Roland synthesizers when playing live. He comes from a musical family and was classically trained on piano from an early age...
- keyboards - Mark Greenwell - bass
- Dan Mullins - drums
Production
- Produced & Mixed By Bal-Sagoth
- Engineered By Bal-Sagoth & Mags
- Mastered By Achim Koehler