SAKNA: Lost De Syv Dødssynder Full-Length From Late One-Man Atmospheric Black Metal Project To See Release October 31st On Hypaethral Records; Windir Cover Now Playing + Preorders Available

Stream SAKNA’s rendition of Windir’s “Sóknardalr” HERE.

SAKNA, a one-man band shrouded in mystery since its inception in 2006, is a bastion of the post-second wave of black metal ethos, championing a period where the musicality of black metal overtook the antics of its forefathers. Conceived by the late Canadian multi-instrumentalist Solemn, the project espouses a sound that has been dubbed “a natural extension of Windir;” a seamless fusion of epic Sognametal with emotive atmospheric black metal, DSBM, funeral doom, neo-folk, and dark ambient.

After nearly two decades in relative obscurity, Solemn’s brother S. of post-metal band Lunedi has lifted the curtain on his sibling’s genius, unveiling a plethora of songs that lay hidden from the world for years on old hard drives. With several more years dedicated to the recovery, meticulous mixing, and remastering of the music by Greg Dawson at BWC Studios (Thantifaxath, Panzerfaust), De Syv DødssynderSAKNA’s masterpiece and sole full-length album – is finally getting a physical release in 2025 via Canada’s eminent extreme metal label, Hypaethral Records.

Inspired by Dante Alighieri’s The Divine Comedy, Solemn began writing and recording De Syv Dødssynder as its musical adaptation in 2006 at the young age of 14 years old. By the age of 18, he had recorded all of the album’s vocals, guitars, bass, keyboards, organs, and drums himself, even leaking an early preview of the single “Del I – Helvete” to YouTube in 2009 which earned SAKNA underground notoriety in black metal circles. His magnum opus drew on such varied influences as Windir, Mournful Congregation, Emperor, Wolves In The Throne Room, Cor Scorpii. and more.

With such a promising musical career ahead of him, Solemn tragically took his own life in 2011, halting the hopes of his brilliance reaching the masses. De Syv Dødssynder and its bonus tracks remain his legacy. Like a time capsule, they offer a glimpse into one of the most artistically intricate forgotten gems of black metal’s infamous history.

“I can say without exaggerating that De Syv Dødssynder is the culmination of two decades of work,” says S. “Many of those years were spent on my brother’s tireless creative output. Others were spent on recovering and mixing the multitracks, on mastering by Greg Dawson at BWC Studios, and on release support by the kind folks at Hypaethral Records. It’s surreal to think that a musical project that my brother started at only 14 years old in 2006 will finally get a proper physical release in 2025. I only wish he could be here to see for himself how much his music means to people. The flood of genuine and kind messages from fans warm my heart in light of his passing, and I know just how much they would mean to him. De Syv Dødssynder will forever be his musical legacy, and what a legacy he has left us.”

In homage of the record’s release, today Hypaethral unveils SAKNA’s cover of Windir’s “Sóknardalr.”

“The influence of Windir and Sognametal on SAKNA’s sound is palpable and immediately discernible,” says S. “And yet, this cover of Windir’s classic ‘Sóknardalr’ perfectly encapsulates how SAKNA developed its own unique artistic voice, distinct from its source material but still true to its roots. This doom-laden rendition, complete with ornate orchestral flourishes and crushing down-tuned rhythm guitars, displays the wide breadth of sonic influences that make up Solemn’s intricate arrangements. I would hope that, if Valfar was here today (rest his soul), that he would approve of such an epic and heavy interpretation of his composition.”

Stream SAKNA’s rendition of Windir’s “Sóknardalr” HERE.

All music and instruments on De Syv Dødssynder were written and recorded by Solemn, mixed by S. (Lunedi), and mastered by Greg Dawson.

De Syv Dødssynder will be released on October 31st on CD (Ltd. 300) and digitally as well as vinyl in the following color variants:

Inferno 2xLP (Ltd. 100)
Black 2xLP (Ltd. 200)

Find preorders at the Hypaethral Bandcamp HERE.

De Syv Dødssynder Track Listing:

  1. Begynnelse – Sti
  2. Del I – Helvete
  3. Del II – Skjærsilden
  4. Del III – Himmel
  5. Evighet
  6. Alitid
  7. Sóknardalr (Windir Cover)
  8. Berceuse Astrale

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