photos by Ben Schauland
Horror Pain Gore Death Productions will release From Dark Dimensions An Unspeakable Presence Awakens, the second album from blackened sludge metal henchmen STRICKEN, on November 6th, today unveiling the album’s details including preorders and an explosive video for “Darkness Impenetrable.”
Based in the Seattle, Washington area, born from a nightmare and forged in suffering, every STRICKEN song will challenge you as a listener, and doom you to be forever separated from your notions of genre. This unholy trio began as a duo, with bassist/vocalist Rob Ropkins (ex-Deadly Light, Pipefitter, North American Bison, Pinned Red) and guitarist Nick Charlton collaborating on raw, sludge-laden riffage. Chris Wozniak (Lair Of The Minotaur, Earthen Grave, I Klatus) brought his drum kit into the fold in 2017, after moving to Seattle and responding to a Craigslist ad that cited influences including Celtic Frost, Coffins, and Autopsy. Within a year, STRICKEN recorded a demo in Woz’s garage and began playing regional shows and in 2022 they created the seven-song album From A Well Of Emptiness, A Stygian Serpent Born, recorded by friend and local engineer Tom Thew and released on Horror Pain Gore Death.
But now, STRICKEN presents five new, epic, true-to-form songs that take their attack to the next level of depravity on From Dark Dimensions An Unspeakable Presence Awakens. Delivering another monstrous dose of darkness and despair with ferocity and an experimental alchemy of styles, the album explores concepts of the dark subconscious, self-destruction, unspeakable horror, existential dread, and nihilism. Continuing to push boundaries faster than before, dynamically shifting to intensely crushing and oppressive, and showing up with deep groove and experimental arrangements, From Dark Dimensions An Unspeakable Presence Awakens is a simply decimating audio document. A bullseye choice for devotees to the works of Neurosis, Inter Arma, Yob, Conan, Celtic Frost, Triptykon, Craft, and High On Fire.
From Dark Dimensions An Unspeakable Presence Awakens was recorded by the band, engineered by Nick Charlton and mixed by Chris Wozniak. Mastering was handled by James Plotkin at Plotkinworks (Khanate, Earth, Amarok) and the artwork was created by visual artist Tom Denney (Black Cobra, Soilent Green, Weedeater).
The devastating lead preview of the album, “Darkness Impenetrable,” arrives through a video filmed and directed by Ben Schauland. Wozniak writes, “‘Darkness Impenetrable’ is about being in the presence of a darkness so complete that it is wholly repressive and incomprehensible, be it an entity or an emotion. The video was shot in Snohomish County, Washington, in the foothills of the Cascade Mountains, a location that we felt captured the essence of the song.”
Blast STRICKEN’s “Darkness Impenetrable” video on YouTube HERE, and stream the song everywhere including on Bandcamp HERE.
From Dark Dimensions An Unspeakable Presence Awakens will be released on CD and digital platforms on November 6th. Physical copies and merch can be preordered at Horror Pain Gore Death Productions HERE, digital preorders HERE, and digital presaves HERE.
Additional preview tracks will drop preceding the album’s release. STRICKEN is working on regional tour dates for the months ahead in support of the record and is already working on new music.
From Dark Dimensions An Unspeakable Presence Awakens Track Listing:
1. Dust From The Grave
2. Darkness Impenetrable
3. Moonless
4. Touch Of Corruption
5. From Nothing To Nothing
https://stricken-seattle.bandcamp.com
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http://www.horrorpaingoredeath.com
http://hpgd.bandcamp.com
https://www.facebook.com/pg/horrorpaingoredeath
https://www.instagram.com/horrorpaingoredeath
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https://www.youtube.com/user/horrorpaingoredeath
The post STRICKEN: Seattle Blackened Sludge Trio To Drop From Dark Dimensions An Unspeakable Presence Awakens November 6th On Horror Pain Gore Death Productions; “Darkness Impenetrable” Video Playing first appeared on Earsplit Compound.