ON THORNS I LAY are Greek titans. The band came up through the underground during the early '90s, in the wake of Nightfall, Septicflesh and Rotting Christ. But while those bands were swayed more by symphonic and black metal, these Athenians developed a taste for the gothic. Which makes sense. After all, they are named after a Shakespearean sonnet.
Now, 30 years and ten albums later, On Thorns I Lay have signed with Season of Mist. It's fitting then that their first offering for the label is a self-titled album. The lead single epitomizes the way this band conducts death and doom metal into an atmospheric thunder storm. A pale wan of keyboard casts a brooding shadow, while riffs reign down like lighting bolts.
But "Newborn Skies" reaches even greater new heights. The melodic leads just keep on climbing, until they ascend into a heavenly choir. "This song is talking about this critical moment in life when you need to reconsider, reanimate and restart in order to keep going and follow your dreams", the band says. "No matter how dark the ride has been, no matter how difficult and obscure, you have to make the final decision. You still have your fate in your hands".
'On Thorns I Lay' is out October 13. Pre-save the album HERE. Pre-order it HERE.
ON THORNS I LAY started as a death metal band together with other cult bands in Greece in the early 90’s such as Rotting Christ, Septicflesh, Necromantia, Nightfall and started to spread their name in the local and global underground scene.
ON THORNS I LAY have released 9 albums so far such as “Orama”, “Crystal Tears” and “Aegean Sorrow” gaining great praise. The band have shared the stage with artists such as Dream Theater, In Flames, Anathema, Amorphis, Katatonia, Rotting Christ, Tiamat, The Gathering, Satyricon, Septic Flesh and many more. The band’s last album “Threnos” (2020) followed the path of atmospheric, yet emotional Doom Death Metal – paying tribute to the roots and representing the trademark sound of the band once again. ON THORNS I LAY continue to tell dense stories of loss and despair.
After their mini tour at the Baltic states with Rotting Christ in 2022, ON THORNS I LAY finished the recordings of their 10th album and first for Season of Mist. The self-titled LP pushes death-doom to epic heights, casting a newborn Gothic glow over muscular riffs and cavernous vocals hearkening back to the halcyon days of early ‘90s Peaceville death-doom.
Current line-up:
Peter “Invoker” Miliadis: Vocals, bass (Dimlight, ex-Slaveatgod)
Chris Dragamestianos: Guitar
Nikolas Paraskevopoulos: Guitar (Dimlight, Yoth Iria)
Kostas Mexis: Bass (Aetherian, ex-Black Path)
Antonis Ventouris: Keyboard
Stelios Darakis: Drums (Dexter Ward, ex-Sacred Outcry, The Eternal Suffering, ex-Mortal Torment, ex-Lloth)
Recording line-up:
Peter “Invoker” Miliadis: Vocals, bass (Dimlight, ex-Slaveatgod)
Chris Dragamestianos: Guitar
Nikolas Paraskevopoulos: Guitar (Dimlight, Yoth Iria)
Antonis Ventouris: Keyboard
Stelios Darakis: Drums (Dexter Ward, ex-Sacred Outcry, The Eternal Suffering, ex-Mortal Torment, ex-Lloth)
Guest musicians
Fanny Melfi - Fallen From Grace
Labros Kiklis - Fallen From Grace
Stavros Papagiannakopoulos - Thorns Of Fire, Crestfallen
Ilias Mantikos - Thorns Of Fire
Katerina Tzitzou - Fallen From Grace
Irina Dimaki - Fallen From Grace
Anna Thana - Fallen From Grace
Aris Karatzas - Crestfallen, Newborn Skies, Raise Empires, Among The Wolves
Recording Studio:Devasoundz Studios
Producer:Fotis Benardo
Mix/Mastering:Fotis Benardo
Cover artwork:Dimitris Tzortzis
Pre-order:https://shop.season-of-mist.com/list/on-thorns-i-lay-on-thorns-i-lay
Pre-save:https://shop.season-of-mist.com/list/on-thorns-i-lay-on-thorns-i-lay
Formats:
CD Digipak
Digital download
Vinyl Gatefold (Black)
Vinyl Gatefold (Gold)
Vinyl Gatefold (Blade Bullet)
Follow On Thorns I Lay
http://www.onthornsilay.net/
http://onthornsilay.bandcamp.com/
https://www.facebook.com/onthornsilay/
https://www.instagram.com/onthornsilayofficial/
https://twitter.com/onthorns
https://open.spotify.com/artist/7bGopU168qloFmaY1OcSwv