Ornaments by Zebulon Kosted
Each planet and star within the Vrozlydian Empire is an ornament to the rule of Emperor Zebulon Kosted and its acquisition by His Majesty is seen by him as a new decoration in his collection of all physical matter which he rules over. After many centuries of conquest he begins to realize he will need a successor. A thought occurs to him one day while making music. What if he were to allow Utryn to take his place at a time of his choosing? It must be seen as a contest of strength, not just of physical brutality but of cunning and guile.
A series of battles must be staged. The inhabitants of the Imperium have been expecting this for some time. If these skirmishes were to take place on astral bodies void of life warriors from each side could distinguish themselves without collateral damage. Crowns begin to weigh heavy for those who are constantly plotting and scheming, using those who pledge fealty as pawns in a never-ending game. Death contests must have symphonies to accompany their historical significance.
His Majesty begins creating complex musical clues for Utryn. He makes certain that these creations will be intercepted by spies he allows to infiltrate the palace. The first to show their might in warfare will be the nearly perfect Ephialtes Brigade, the most sophisticated robots ever created. They will play the emperors new musical creations in battle from speakers added to their bodies. If Utryn cannot decipher their meaning from the transmissions intercepted by his secret agents, the Kings interpretation of the sounds in battle will be nothing if not entertaining.
The Emperor realizes all things must come to an end. These series of contests between himself and Utryn will give life zest again after falling under the spell of the obsidian mirror followed by melancholic creativity. The Ghoul of the Cave, Duke of Vrozlyd, will follow the Ephialtes Brigade in the second battle on another deserted planet if Utryn survives the first test. Each step must be planned carefully for maximum enjoyment. The Kings parents may find themselves sacrificed in the festivities if events lead to that conclusion. Ornaments breaking often make the most interesting sounds...
Tracklist
| 1. | Mysteries | 3:29 |
| 2. | Wanderlust | 3:06 |
| 3. | Peril | 3:03 |
| 4. | Ornaments | 3:32 |
| 5. | Respiration | 3:27 |
| 6. | Contemplating | 3:34 |
| 7. | Reflections | 3:53 |
| 8. | Lamentation | 3:11 |
| 9. | Terminus | 9:08 |
Credits
Recorded at Zond Studios, Calumet, Upper Peninsula Michigan, January - March, 2024
Guitar, bass, drums, vocals, synthesizer, keyboard, electronic manipulation, cover art and graphic design by Rashid Abdel Ghafur
License
All rights reserved.Tags
Recommendations
Experimental Black Metal, Doom Metal, Dark Folk, Space Ambient and Experimental Electronics.