On March 24th, blackened deathcore outfit Ov Sulfur will release their debut full-length, The Burden Ov Faith, via Century Media Records. The previously released album tracks – “Death Ov Circumstance”, “Stained In Rot” and “Wide Open” – can be streamed online now, with new single, “Earthen,” also available on all digital platforms here. The video for “Earthen” (directed by Vicente Cordero with aesthetic director MM Fabrications) at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WI_Q_t4DbXM&ab_channel=CenturyMediaRecords
“‘Earthen’ is about my nephew who died from cancer at 16,” comments vocalist Ricky Hoover. “After failed bone-marrow transplants, he decided to stop and let it take its course. It’s about witnessing that and being there, holding him when he died. That song is very emotional for me…
I was actually crying in the studio tracking vocals. We needed the video to capture the sheer tragedy of that situation to really underscore how unfair and unjust it is for any ‘god’ to put a child through something as awful as cancer.”
Guitarist/vocalist Chase Wilson adds: “The guitar lead from this song is the first thing I wrote that ended up on the album, well over a year ago. The song came together quickly after that and has stayed very similar since. As such, it’ll appeal to fans of the ‘Oblivion’ EP, as well as the newer stuff we’ve been putting out, with the most obvious growth being Ricky’s emotional singing and Leviathvn’s super tasteful drumming. We’re all really proud of this one.”
Pre-order The Burden Ov Faith now. – where the record is available in the following versions: –Standard CD jewel-case / –Black LP / –Silver LP available from USA retail (limited to 500 copies) / –Transparent red LP available from CM Distro Wholesale EU and CMdistro.de (limited to 300 copies) / –Golden LP available from Ov Sulfur (limited to 300 copies) / –Digital album
Crafted by the band alongside producer Morgoth Beatz (Winds of Plague, Scarlxrd), then mixed/mastered by maestro Josh Schroeder (Lorna Shore, Tallah), The Burden Ov Faith sees the two split engineering of vocals and drums, respectively, with former Machine Head guitarist Logan Mader stepping in to capture the guitars and bass. The resulting album spans the stygian planets of deathcore, black metal, and metalcore, creating something as majestic as it is hook-laden. “It’s the ‘Oblivion’ EP (2021) on steroids,” says founding guitarist/vocalist Chase Wilson, joking, “I would almost call it ‘Arena Black Metal’ at points!”
The Burden Ov Faith kicks off with the slamming sulfuric firestorm of opener, “Stained In Rot,” which teases Ricky Hoover’s expanding vocal range via singing, in stark contrast to the gnarliest gutturals he’s conjured from his forked tongue. “Befouler” follows with technical death metal riffing and climaxes into an unexpectedly catchy chorus, before crumbling into a brutal breakdown featuring vocalist Alex Terrible. That Hoover keeps up with the likes of that masked madman, plus guests Taylor Barber (Left To Suffer) and Kyle Medina (Bodysnatcher) is impressive though not entirely surprising. That he holds his own on an album featuring Howard Jones (Light The Torch, ex-Killswitch Engage), however, is. Throughout and on the epic closing title track, his injection of melody is beautified by Lindsay Schoolcraft, formerly of Cradle of Filth.
“I wanted to put something out there that was as blasphemous and heavy as it was thought-provoking; I just had no idea how many people felt the same way,” comments Hoover. Since their formation in 2021, Ov Sulfur has burned as bright as a Norwegian church in the night, and with a reception warmer than hell and a set of principles to guide them along their left-hand path, The Burden Ov Faith promises to be only the beginning for the rising Las Vegas collective.
The Burden Ov Faith track-listing: 1. Stained In Rot 2. Befouler (ft. Alex Terrible) 3. Unraveling (ft. Left to Suffer / Taylor Barber) 4. Death Ov Circumstance 5. Earthen 6. A Path to Salvation? 7. I, Apostate 8. Wide Open (ft. Light The Torch / Howard Jones) 9. The Inglorious Archetype 10. The Burden Ov Faith (ft. Bodysnatcher / Kyle Medina and Lindsay Schoolcraft)
Ov Sulfur line-up: Ricky Hoover – Vocals / Chase Wilson – Guitar, Vocals / Ding – Bass / Leviathvn – Drums
Ov Sulfur Discography: Oblivion (EP) – 2021