Thy Art is Murder have finally revealed that they’ll unleash their anticipated, barbarous fourth LP Dear Desolation via new extreme music indie label, Human Warfare on August 18.
One of the most polarising and thrilling acts to emerge triumphant from the competitive maelstrom of modern metal in recent years, Thy Art Is Murder are utterly fearless. Famed for charging riffs and screaming into the breach with notorious ferocity, they attract a legion of dedicated fans drawn from all genres, and all corners of the earth.
Much-revered frontman CJ McMahon surprised and shocked fans when he returned to the stage at this year’s UNIFY Gathering, after his much-publicised departure from the band in 2015. In the interim, triple j’s The Racket host Lochlan Watt stepped up to the mic for some serious international touring. Since returning to the helm, CJ and the band have been crushing venues across Europe, preparing for their Australian headline run, which will lead into the release of the much anticipated Dear Desolation.
“I feel the strongest I’ve ever felt going into a record.” says McMahon, “Coming back to the fold of our band has reinvigorated me. I missed my brothers, touring, and of course all our dedicated fans around the world who have always given us their all. This new record is going to shape our future; we gave it everything we could and then some. In the past, I was the weakest link and now that I have re-built myself, we are stronger than ever and nothing can stand in our way.”
Thematically, Dear Desolation embodies the darkest of dark. It is unquestionably Thy Art Is Murder’s most challenging work to date. It sees the band dive headfirst into existentialism and the human condition, contemplating mortality, moral compasses, extinction level events and questioning political dogma.
Guitarist Andy Marsh says of the record “Hate, War, Desolation; the trilogy series of the path mankind has laid out before himself. We are prouder than ever of our efforts on this record. A lot of time, planning, creativity and teamwork has culminated in what we think is our most completed vision yet: Dear Desolation.”.
Get a hint at the huge sounds to come with the video for ‘Slaves Beyond Death’…
Guitarist Andy Marsh expands on the new LP’s title: “Dear Desolation was the easiest way to sum up our new record and some of the issues we talked about. With lyrics ranging from extinction level events, to mortality’s interaction with morality, (it) seemed like an appropriate address toward nothingness, a call into the abyss, from which we might not hear an answer.”
Produced, engineered, mixed and mastered by Will Putney at Graphic Nature Audio in Belleville, NJ, and wrapped in original artwork created by Eliran Kantor (HATEBREED, TESTAMENT, ICED EARTH, SODOM), this hellish volume is a devastating blow. It coalesces classic and authentic death metal elements, resulting in a spirit-crushing monstrosity every bit as uncompromising as previous records Holy War (2015), Hate (2012) and their gigantic debut, The Adversary (2010). The impressive chart success of Holy War (#7 ARIA Chart Debut) saw the band rack up a mind-blowing 30+ million Youtube views.
Big and bold, and built for festival stages, Dear Desolation is destined to further entrench the band’s rep as one of the most extreme live acts conceivable. These live chops have seen Thy Art is Murder dominate Soundwave and Download Festivals, smash North America on tour with Slayer and earn accolades from Metal Hammer. This is extreme metal for the people, torchbearers for a primal style that doesn’t die.
Do not miss Thy Art is Murder, killing it out on tour through July and August with Alphawolf, Cursed Earth and Deadlights.
THE ‘DEATH SENTENCE’ TOUR
THU 27 JUL – BADLANDS, PERTH *
FRI 28 JUL – ENIGMA, ADELAIDE
SAT 29 JUL – MAX WATTS, MELBOURNE
WED 2 AUG – THE BASEMENT, CANBERRA
THU 3 AUG – UNI BAR, WOLLONGONG
FRI 4 AUG – OXFORD ART FACTORY, SYDNEY
SAT 5 AUG – THE CAMBRIDGE, NEWCASTLE
THU 10 AUG – CROWBAR, BRISBANE
FRI 11 AUG – VILLA NOOSA, NOOSAVILLE
SAT 12 AUG – MIAMI TAVERN, MIAMI
* DEADLIGHTS NOT APPEARING