ANNIHILUS MUNDI Presents "The Dead Sea Scrolls, Mvt. II - 'Incursion'"

"The Dead Sea Scrolls, Mvt. II - 'Incursion'" is the new single release from progressive extreme metal project ANNIHILUS MUNDI. The track offers a further taste of the band's forthcoming sophomore album, The Dead Sea Scrolls,scheduled for independent release on November 6, 2026.  

Loosely following the story of the 1995 anime series Neon Genesis Evangelion, "The Dead Sea Scrolls, Mvt. II - 'Incursion'" opens with a flashback to the Katsuragi expedition. On the album, "The Dead Sea Scrolls, Mvt. I" and "Mvt. II" combine to form an epic 13-minute opus. While the former delves into project mastermind Daniel Saillant's personal experiences, the latter focuses on fictional examples from Evangelion. "The Dead Sea Scrolls, Mvt. II - 'Incursion'" describes a society who has constructed their goals based on face-value interpretations of the words of ancient civilizations, leading to their mutual destruction.

Lyrically, Composer and lyricist Daniel Saillant explains, "the opening verses about the Katsuragi expedition detail how the titular Dead Sea Scrolls led to the discovery of Adam, the First Angel in Antarctica. Future verses describe how the Angels’ mission to reunite with Adam is motivated by clandestine knowledge given to them by their God, which exists entirely in the shadows. Both the humans and Angels alike operate under the directive of ancient religious knowledge, and in both cases, countless lives are lost and endless destruction is wrought across the planet."

ANNIHILUS MUNDI traverse an amalgamation of styles across "The Dead Sea Scrolls, Mvt. II - 'Incursion'". The track opens with clean tones of acoustic guitar melodies, vocal harmonies, and an enveloping somber mood. Obliterating harsh tones strike through the atmosphere with thunderous impact, and the song features a guitar solo by Andrew Matarazzo (PERENNIAL QUEST). Orchestral strings bring an otherworldly power alongside aggressive harsh vocals and ferocious riffs. The dramatic interplay of light and shade pervades throughout the instrumental arrangements of "The Dead Sea Scrolls, Mvt. II - 'Incursion'".

The Dead Sea Scrolls explores the personal lived experiences of composer and lyricist Daniel Saillant. In a fusion of genres and artforms, ANNIHILUS MUNDI presents the central concepts through the lens of Hideaki Anno’s notorious 1995 anime series Neon Genesis Evangelion and its subsequent 1997 film The End of Evangelion. 

The Dead Sea Scrolls was produced, mixed and mastered, and engineered by Daniel Saillant at Wailing Pines Productions. The album's artwork was created by Chris at Misanthropic Designs.

About ANNIHILUS MUNDI:

Formed in 2018, ANNIHILUS MUNDI is the creation of Daniel Saillant, blending elements of death metal, shoegaze, and progressive rock. His 2019 debut album Grief and subsequent releases have positioned him as a distinctive voice in the underground metal scene. Inspired by bands such as CYNIC, DEAFHEAVEN, and DREAM THEATER, Saillant continues to push musical boundaries, combining harsh and clean vocals, complex guitar arrangements, and introspective lyrics.

ANNIHILUS MUNDI is:

Daniel Saillant (Vocals, Guitar, Bass, Keyboards, Programming)

Connect with ANNIHILUS MUNDI:

Bandcamp: https://annihilusmundi.bandcamp.com/music
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/annihilusmundi
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/annihilusmundi/
Threads: https://www.threads.net/@annihilusmundi
YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@annihilusmundi
Twitch: https://www.twitch.tv/annihilusmundi
Spotify:
https://open.spotify.com/artist/1keHp0ZrVPtDqCcGspP3Xa?si=jUB4r9JRSzqTqB tKJ3RfEg
Apple Music: https://music.apple.com/us/artist/annihilus-mundi/1492843855
TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@annihilusmundi
Discord: https://discord.gg/PKJDYWPrg9

ANNIHILUS MUNDI Release "A Hedgehog’s Dilemma" With An Animated Music Video

Progressive extreme metal project ANNIHILUS MUNDI have unveiled their next single, "A Hedgehog's Dilemma". Accompanied by an animated music video, the track provides a further insight into the band's forthcoming sophomore album, The Dead Sea Scrolls. 

"A Hedgehog's Dilemma" takes its name from the metaphor coined by German philosopher Arthur Schopenhauer and shares the title with an episode of Neon Genesis Evangelion. For Schopenhauer, the inability for hedgehogs to cuddle for warmth without causing each other harm mirrors how individual humans crave intimacy but their own 'spines' (trauma, anxieties etc.,) can cause damage in relationships. The song is centered around the protagonist from Neon Genesis Evangelion, Shinji, and the impacts of his social masking that is used as a defensive mechanism. 

"'A Hedgehog’s Dilemma' is the most deliberately composed song on the album." Composer and lyricist Daniel Saillant shares. "Since Shinji is a cello player who often finds solace in classical music, the song is composed in the (mostly) historically accurate form of a classical sonata and features an orchestra melody reminiscent of romantic era composers like Tchaikovsky in the place of a traditional chorus." Compared with the first single release, "Absolute Terror", "A Hedgehog’s Dilemma takes far more risks with its structure and firmly points the album in a much more progressive and artistic direction."

Musically, ANNIHILUS MUNDI fuse an amalgamation of styles to produce a deeply emotive and dynamic sonic impact in "A Hedgehog's Dilemma". The brutality of ferocious death metal rhythms marries seamlessly with the uplifting melodies incorporated across orchestral arrangements and vocal lines. Segueing between symphonic textures from the orchestral strings to the deafening distortion of guitars and harsh vocals, the intense layers combine to form a highly energizing and compelling track. 

The Dead Sea Scrolls explores the personal lived experiences of composer and lyricist Daniel Saillant. In a fusion of genres and artforms, ANNIHILUS MUNDI presents the central concepts through the lens of Hideaki Anno’s notorious 1995 anime series Neon Genesis Evangelion and its subsequent 1997 film The End of Evangelion. 

"A Hedgehog's Dilemma" was produced, mixed and mastered, and engineered by Daniel Saillant at Wailing Pines Productions.

About ANNIHILUS MUNDI

Formed in 2018, ANNIHILUS MUNDI is the creation of Daniel Saillant, blending elements of death metal, shoegaze, and progressive rock. His 2019 debut album Grief and subsequent releases have positioned him as a distinctive voice in the underground metal scene. Inspired by bands such as CYNIC, DEAFHEAVEN, and DREAM THEATER, Saillant continues to push musical boundaries, combining harsh and clean vocals, complex guitar arrangements, and introspective lyrics.