Ukranian progressive extreme metal collective Waidelotte reveal ‘The Era of Stagnant Gods’

Ukrainian Progressive Extreme Metal ensemble WAIDELOTTE (ft. members of WHITE WARD and SOEN) unveil the first offering from their upcoming album, “Celestial Shrine,” titled ‘The Era Of Stagnant Gods.’ The track masterfully interweaves aggressive, high-energy sections with progressive and melodic touches. In its final act the song crescendos in a fusion of intense screams, eerie female vocals, truly captivating Folk influences and the powerful dynamics of Extreme Metal.

Discover ‘The Era Of Stagnant Gods‘ through the video presentation below or via Bandcamp:

Due for release March 29th, WAIDELOTTE‘s debut album “Celestial Shrine” will be available on CD, vinyl and digital formats. The launch is accompanied by a specially designed t-shirt, with pre-orders available through our EU, US (no merch) and Bandcamp shops.

“Celestial Shrine” narrates a journey of catharsis (details here). It follows a fictional character undergoing rebirth, culminating ultimately in enlightenment. ‘The Era Of Stagnant Gods‘ explores a specific chapter of this odyssey, as described by the band’s composer and guitarist, Zlat:

“It is the starting point of our character’s ‘depression’ phase, the beginning of his fall. That’s why the music here is heavy and fast at the same time. Falling down is not something that can be extended in time. It’s something that happens rapidly and keeps you inside the whirlpool. Black/Death metal riffs attack with anger and fury to then be replaced with more melodic parts that contain ethnic elements and represent despair and apathy. This is how we interpret the feeling of “falling down”: you constantly switch between anger and apathy until the final crash enters the game. In the song, the final burst of anger is replaced by a coda with powerful ethnic singing. It’s like a mockery of those who have fallen: it’s not the end – get ready for worse things. As a part of the story, the song sheds light on a person who gives up, surrounded by nonentities who offer up faceless despicable prayers to the stagnant Gods and idols of our era.“

Vocalist Andrii adds:

“The lyrical hero is disappointed in himself and the world in which he lives. Stagnation is what surrounds him and annoys him. To some extent, we can talk here about the period political scientist Fukuyama called ‘the end of history.’ But in the context of the song, this is such an individual interpretation of this stage on a much smaller scale. In the song, as in the album, we explore nothing but the individual downfall and subsequent rise of the main character. Disappointment, fatigue, despair, fear, and many other factors are the baggage with which the lyrical hero goes on a journey to catharsis. But at this stage, he is not aware of the ultimate goal. So far, he has only one path – down to the bottom, where he expects to lose himself and get rid of those burdens that make life unbearable.“

WAIDELOTTE is a new Extreme Metal act from Ukraine which skilfully combines Black Metal, melodic Death Metal and Progressive Metal with traditional Folk singing and instrumentation. The project gathers individuals with diverse musical backgrounds, including members of SOEN, WHITE WARD, NAONI ORCHESTRA, Тінь Сонця, SOLAR KOLLAPSE, and CASA URAINA amongst others.

The band’s debut album will be released via Debemur Morti Productions in 2024.