2023/01/30 – DEATHSPELL OMEGA – Emblems
Deathspell Omega will soon have existed for a quarter of a century. Exactly twenty years ago now, we were recording the first incarnation of Si Monvmentvm Reqvires, Circvmspice – the one that was ultimately discarded.
Seen by themselves, such numbers are of little importance. Deathspell Omega has always looked towards the future. We place our full attention and energy on the completion of further work and on mastering new challenges. Bygone times are mere steps on a ladder, and we rarely glance backwards. This past summer – as France was besieged by a crushing heatwave – we were deliberating what is left of this entity’s future. It occurred to us that we have a short window of opportunity to breathe life into a project that’s been lingering in the shadows for a while.
Many years ago, Valnoir of Parisian art studio Metastazis sent me a series of pictures he was working on. This gave me the distinct impression that he was capable of condensing relatively complex ideas into one striking image. And so here we are, presenting Deathspell Omega emblems interpreted by Valnoir – one for each recording, from SMR,C to The Long Defeat.
Needless to say, these are by no means intended to replace the original covers by the late Timo Ketola, Manual Tinnemans and Dehn Sora. They are simply an exploration of alternate aesthetic choices. Each design casts light on certain conceptual aspects which could not be represented in the original layouts. It’s a rare backwards glance at the smouldering ruins of the past two decades, gone by at the speed of lightning.
The pre-sale will remain open for a two-week period, following which all orders will be forwarded to the printer. Delivery is expected at some point in mid to late March. For practical reasons, it is highly unlikely that we will ever have all of these designs in stock simultaneously again. We’ll have a few extra copies from the first print run, but in limited quantities and in selected sizes only.