The gothic literary movement, which emerged in Britain during the second half of the 18^th century, brought a fundamental change to horror literature. This literary style, which was introduced by British authors, emphasised on pleasurable horror, most typically a mix of beauty, romance and fear. The style would reach its peak in 1818 with Mary Shelley's Frankenstein which is considered today as being simultaneously the first modern horror and science fiction story. It is thus undeniable that the gothic literary movement, in both its development and expansion, is deeply rooted in British culture and history.

It is with a desire to translate dark British folklore into music that the band OLD CORPSE ROAD opted for a distinctive gothic sound infused within their brand of black metal. While the style had been previously attempted by the like of Cradle of Filth and Hecate Enthroned, OLD CORPSE ROAD presents, in their new album "On Ghastly Shores Lays The Wreckage Of Our Lore" (out on April 24th, 2020 via Trollzorn Records), a different and refreshing take on the genre.

This third full length is a natural progression from the second album, "Of Campfires And Evening Mists". As such, the sound we came to expect from OLD CORPSE ROAD is ever so present. The grandeur displayed by the background orchestral arrangements is ever so present as well as the slow and melancholic guitar harmonies all of which are laden on a of 90s black metal foundation. While the influences coming from Cradle of Filth's early albums are undeniable on the surface, a deeper inspection reveals a big difference in their interpretation of this gothic inspired black metal. In fact, OLD CORPSE ROAD has a much more introspective approach where the raw aggressivity of black metal meets beautiful harmonic guitars and folk inspired melodies. 'Black Ship', the third song of the album, best exemplifies this meshing of styles and emphasis on grandiosity. In fact, while the first few minutes of the song are dedicated to both an acoustic intro and a aggressive black metal section, the second half of this eleven minute song is dedicated to ominous melody that is alternatively played on organ, guitar and finally on what sounds like an Egyptian oud. This musical progression and emphasis on grandeur is both what made OLD CORPSE ROAD unique and interesting.

Premiered today 'Demons of the Farne', the sixth song, is the album's best representation of a common theme in gothic literature, namely the juxtaposition of romance and horror. The background orchestration creates a grandiose and beautiful atmosphere where dismal, sorrowful and melancholic melodies are intermittently played giving the listener feelings of both fear and awe.

Full review of OLD CORPSE ROAD's "On Ghastly Shores Lays The Wreckage Of Our Lore" can be found here.

OLD CORPSE ROAD is:

The Bearer - Guitars and Vocals
The Revenant - Guitars and Vocals
The Wanderer - Bass and Spoken Word
The Dreamer - Percussion and Ambience
The Watcher - Keyboards and Vocals

MORE INFO AND PRE-ORDERS:

http://www.oldcorpseroad.co.uk/
https://www.facebook.com/OldCorpseRoad
https://oldcorpseroad.bandcamp.com
http://www.trollzorn.de
https://www.facebook.com/trollzorn