Lycanthia - Oligarchy available now!

Posted by Nick Skog on Thursday, April 11, 2013 Under: Album Releases

Lycanthia - Oligarchy
Available for free streaming, $5 digital download, as well as digipack, and jewelcase physical editions!

Around this time last year, the doom stalwarts Lycanthia released their new full-length album Oligarchy independently in Australia, and now the album will get a worldwide release through Hypnotic Dirge Records. The new full-length album is available in both digipack and jewelcase formats, as well as digitally through the label's bandcamp page for $5. The Oligarchy physical album is available for $10 plus shipping in either digipack or jewel case format, features the full album lyrics and liner notes, and anyone who orders the album will also receive a free download link while they wait for their CD to arrive! The album is available for free streaming on the bandcamp link below.

Formed in 1996, Lycanthia carries with them a history spanning 17 years and are one of Australia's oldest surviving doom metal bands.

A six piece band hailing from Sydney, Lycanthia plays traditional gothic death-doom metal with a strong emphasis on atmosphere, melody, and the captivating use of alternating male growls and female soprano vocals. Comparisons could be drawn between Lycanthia and the sound found in the early "golden age" works of classic gothic doom bands such as My Dying Bride, Paradise Lost, Draconian, and Theatre of Tragedy.

A flagship of this particular sound is the contrast between dark, aggressive, and heavy death-doom and softer moments courtesy of female vocals, keyboards, and violin arrangements and Lycanthia does this extraordinarily well. The growls courtesy of founding member and bassist Lee Tassaker is a definite strong point of the album, and he's accompanied very nicely with the poignant female vocals from both the violinist and keyboardist, Vanessa Black and Megan Tassaker respectively.

The vocal work is complimented nicely by six very competent musicians all working towards a heavy, despairing, and powerfully melancholic sound and a production quality that does the songwriting justice. Mastered by Jens Bogren at Fascination Street Studios (Opeth, Katatonia), the re-release of Oligarchy on Hypnotic Dirge comes in a digipack format with an 8 page foldout booklet.

Lycanthia is currently on a dual album launch east coast Australian tour alongside Subterranean Disposition, another doom outfit from Hypnotic Dirge Records who recently released their debut album. There are still two dates on the tour remaining in April so if you are in the area, be sure to make an appearance and enjoy a night of doom! Lycanthia will also be opening up for Eluveitie on May 25th and will also be making a trip to the US for the two day Denver Doom Fest in October.