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Thinning the Veil
“As long as you’re enthralled by a lifeless form, you are not free" Bodhidharma
Evoking Shadows of Death is a collaboration with Russia’s ritual collective Phurpa. Fusing ultrasonic vibrations and grim necro-atmospheres with the harmonious chants and deep, droning reverberations of the tantric voice, these two tracks are designed to help the chod practitioner tap into the power of Death. Only those who have visited one of Tibet’s charnel fields and witnessed the offering of a corpse to vultures understand the full impact of what the Chöd tradition refers to as places that inspire terror. Chöd involves a form of self-sacrifice: the practitioner visualizes their own body as the offering at a ganachakra.
Evoking Shadows of Death helps envision such atrocities, delving into ultra-dark psychedelia by way of the most demented ritual ambient. Traditionally, Chöd is regarded as challenging, potentially dangerous and inappropriate for some practitioners. Evoking Shadows of Death is meant for meditative purposes, but can be listened to even by the most naive of ears.
Nothing could be further from the Western relation to music, in which
the listener stands outside, analyzes and perhaps admires it – an
essentially passive and appreciative stance. Evoking Shadows of Death
nudges you towards the steps to transmute through the aural plane and,
through a process in which you must actively participate, requiring
utmost concentration and mental stamina, become that of which the center
is the symbol.
This transformation does not fall spontaneously, upon the listener: the practitioner must fully engage in the process.
This mystical experience is achieved, not bestowed.
The special edition of Evoking Shadows of Death will come in a natural cotton bag silkscreened with the endless knot that was dyed and handstitched by Darea Plantin. This bag will also include a glass bottle containing shattered human tibia bone sealed with her left thumb print and one Yeshe Walmo rope incense from Tibet. The bag is sealed with black wax stamped with a sigil of destruction.
This special edition cassette is strictly limited to only 20 copies.
A regular version will be available through Black Goat Records
Desecration of the human form.
Crushed a human tibia bone into shards (and destroyed a canvas bag in the process) for the special edition cassette of the Phurpa//DEATHSTENCH collaboration, “Evoking Shadows of Death”. This release will be available September 9th.
DEATHSTENCH Phurpa collaboration, “Evoking Shadows of Death” limited cassette release materializes on September 9th.
As anyone who listens knows, the music of DEATHSTENCH is an esoteric,
sensory echo of the great inner processes that we are experience in this
life. This audial ritual is no exception.
“Blood Moon Divination” is comprised of live rituals heralding the start of each blood moon eclipse of the 2014-2015 tetrad.
Limited edition cassette available now through Black Goat Records
“Before the altar of Death
All sorrows are shadows
Here is that which remains Unseen“
Double Sided Shirts available now.
(Small - 3XL)
Merry Walpurgis Nacht
Much will be materializing this month.
Keep your ear to the ground.
DEATHSTENCH live photography by Marisi Anderson
