Finnish masters of apocalyptic deluge death return with their heaviest album yet. A monolithic fusion of HM-2 grit, crushing riffs, and infernal grooves. Following the crushing success of their previous full-length 'Earthbound', Finnish masters of "death 'n' sludge", BLACK ROYAL, have officially returned. Formed in the frozen reaches of the North, BLACK ROYAL continues to refine their signature sound — a visceral concoction of Scandinavian death metal and blackened sludge. Critics and fans alike have described their sonic assault as "a fistfight between Crowbar and Entombed, with Behemoth and Mastodon awaiting to jump in the ring for round two".
Since their inception, BLACK ROYAL has built a reputation as one of Finland's most formidable heavy exports, blending the groove of sludge with the frost-bitten aggression of death metal. Formed in Tampere, Finland in 2013, they self-released two EPs before signing with Swedish-based Suicide Records for their 2018 debut full-length, 'Lightbringer'. BLACK ROYAL's second album 'Firebride' was released in February 2020. The effort saw the group continue to build upon the momentum of their previous effort and refine their varied influences into a more cohesive display of suffocating death metal, hypnotic sludge, and catchy rock hooks. MetalSucks asserted that BLACK ROYAL crafted "some pretty gnarly sludge 'n' roll". Signing to international label M-Theory Audio BLACK ROYAL released 'Earthbound' in October 2022, which was highly praised as a crushing, mature blend of death metal, sludge, and stoner metal, earning accolades for its catchy, high-quality songwriting and confident, heavy sound. Often described as a step up in confidence and song quality from previous work, the album is lauded for balancing aggression with melodic, hook-filled moments.
The band returned to Studio Watercastle to record with Arttu Sarvanne (Immortal Souls, Silentium, Enter My Silence). The final product was mixed by Jussi Kulomaa (Dreamtale, A.R.G.) at Metal Mixing and mastered by Jaakko Viitalähde (Blind Guardian, Oranssi Pazuzu, Xysma) at Virtalähde Mastering. The album will be released on CD and Limited-Edition (300 copies) 'Beneath the Surface' Blue colored vinyl.