Ipsissimus: The Way Of Descent – new album

Debut full-length album by New Haven, Connecticut based black metal band IPSISSIMUS has been released yesterday, May 24th, 2011 via Metal Blade Records. ‘The Way Of Descent’ features the band's EP, ‘Three Secrets Of Fatima’, along with three new songs. The album was recorded at Sonic Environments studio with “sonic alchemist” (which means engineer & producer in IPSISSMUS language) Jeff Weed. The album cover, created by artist Micki Pellerano, features “all manner of ritual act, executed by man and beast, conjuring an apparition of the Egyptian fertility goddess Hathor” as explained by band's drummer Haimatokharmes (“IPSISSIMUS heartily endorses procreation as well as annihilation.”). The layout was designed by artist Alessandra Benedetti. Below you’ll find IPSISSIMUS song ‘The Third Secret Of Fatima’ Haimatokharmes elaborated thusly: “We are especially proud of this one on account of its synthesis of blast, melody, ritual drums, all played in the old fashion. Longtime fans know it from our self-released ‘Fatima’ EP and I must say it is the song people usually tell us is their favorite out of the trinity. The lyrics are a collaborative effort (written in English and Coptic), but they are straight old-school Satanism, a blend of blasphemy and devil-worship. Bless!”

Revered drummer remarked upon the album as a whole as well: “The title aims to encapsulate the lyrical matter of the new songs, which deal with various katagogic themes in Gnostic, Luciferian, and Merkavah traditions as applied to Left Hand ethics and praxis.” Sound-wise: “It’s an interesting sound, at turns raw and filthy, yet also warm and spacious, which I suppose is fitting for hymns to the abyss. Expect some traditional black, melodic riffage à la the ‘Fatima’ material as well as the occasional avant-garde element - I believe this will be the first black metal album to employ a waterphone.”

IPSISSMUS came to be when His Emissary (guitar) and Haimatokharmes (drums) “met by providence on 6/6/06”, and, as the legend goes, found in one another worthy vessels of channeling the occult philosophies into ritual black metal. Tichondrius (bass & vocals) joined the band some months later to complete the trinity. Within a month the trio released a demo entitled ‘Trampling The Host’. The blasphemous three soon became known for their technical and raw live performances. In 2008, IPSISSIMUS independently released the ‘Three Secrets Of Fatima’ EP. 

IPSISSIMUS: The Third Secret of Fatima – courtesy of Metal Blade Records