VESSELES’ Debut Transformative, Symphonic Black Metal EP “I Am A Demon”

Vesseles, the brainchild of esteemed West Coast metal veteran Valira Pietrangelo (Legion of Grandeur, Among the Torrent, and Arcane Existence), is making their thunderous debut with the release of EP “I Am A Demon” on May 3rd, 2024. Blending the raw intensity of symphonic black metal with a deeply personal exploration of identity dysphoria, Vesseles takes the genre in a new direction. Pietrangelo comments on the highly persona EP:

“It goes through the transformation of my identity. It flows from self-hatred, to release, ritual, and thus transformation, closing on the disconnect between soul and body. Musically there are elements of decay illustrated by a gradual increase in dissonance and unexpected change alongside more typical black metal tropes. It starts with self-hatred on ‘Suffocating Flesh’, goes to confidence in ‘I Am A Demon’, and leads into needing a release with ‘Cathartic Cruelty’.”

On “I Am A Demon”, the song concepts range from self-hatred to transformation to lashing out. In the end, there is transformation (“Vesseles Rituale”) but the EP closes out with a very expressive piece about identity dysphoria and having to cope with that until the end.

The EP features Pietrangelo on guitar, piano, lyrics, and composition, along with Adam Rupp on vocals and Nick Loiacono on drum programming. Together, they weave a dark tapestry of sound that is reminiscent of classic black metal, with modern twists and emotions. Coupled with the EP is a series of music videos that offer a visual narrative of the music. “I Am A Demon” is recommended for fans of Dimmu Borgir, Dark Funeral, and Darkthrone.

​Digital EP is available at the following links:

Bandcamp - https://vesseles.bandcamp.com/album/i-am-a-demon​

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More info: https://linktr.ee/vesseles