Press launch –
Canadian steel band Altersoul emerges with a renewed identification, a sharpened inventive imaginative and prescient, and a deeply symbolic debut single, “Deserted.” Fashioned by longtime collaborators James Shut (Guitar/Vocals) and Graham Murphy (Guitar/Vocals), Altersoul rises from the last decade‑lengthy legacy of their earlier venture, Ominous Eclipse, carrying ahead its spirit whereas forging a brand new path.
The band is accomplished by Evan Ferguson (Bass) and Theo Konrad (Drums), each of whom be a part of Altersoul as a part of the group’s new period of collaboration, expanded musical depth, and totally self‑produced artistry.
Altersoul was shaped after Ominous Eclipse’s momentum was halted in the course of the 2020 lockdown. As dwell reveals disappeared, members departed, and the band’s future turned unsure. The turning level got here in 2022, when founding bassist Ryan Clements introduced he can be stepping away, main James and Graham to retire the Ominous Eclipse identify with him.
Sadly, tragedy struck in August 2024, when Ryan handed away. His loss reshaped the band’s route totally. Their remaining Ominous Eclipse efficiency turned a memorial tribute and psychological‑well being fundraiser, and the brand new band identify “Altersoul,” derived from Alter Sol (“A New Solar”), was chosen to honour each Ryan’s reminiscence and the band’s rebirth.
Their debut single “Deserted,” accompanied by a music video, is a whole re‑recording of one of many earliest compositions within the band’s catalogue. Initially written by Graham Murphy on a $75 acoustic guitar from Pete’s Music Trade, the monitor first appeared on Ominous Eclipse’s debut album “Finish of Days” greater than a decade in the past.
Now, Altersoul delivers the track because it was all the time meant, that includes actual orchestral performances recorded by the band and actual drums carried out by visitor musician Andrew Poskus, the unique drummer of Ominous Eclipse. The one advantages from trendy manufacturing, mixing, and mastering dealt with totally by the band, together with expanded preparations that showcase their evolution. It’s a much more mature interpretation of a well-recognized piece. The distinction between the unique “Deserted” and this new model is placing: what as soon as relied on guitars, bass, and programmed drums now unfolds with full string preparations, broader dynamics, and meticulous manufacturing element.
“This single is a re-recording of a really early monitor from the earlier iteration of this band, underneath the identify ‘Ominous Eclipse’. It comes from OE’s debut album greater than a decade in the past, when studio high quality wasn’t as excessive. As a tribute to Ryan Clements, and as a deal with for previous followers of Ominous Eclipse, this track lastly will get the therapy it deserves. Now we have a number of albums’ value of unreleased materials, however selected to start with this re‑imagined single from our previous to indicate each the place we got here from and who we are actually,” says James Shut.
Altersoul’s music strikes fluidly throughout steel subgenres, loss of life steel, tech‑loss of life, thrash, black steel, folks/viking steel, progressive steel, and stoner/doom, whereas sporting its influences proudly. Followers of Demise, Revocation, Gojira, Youngsters of Bodom, and Opeth will discover acquainted components woven into the band’s identification.
Altersoul is getting ready to return to the stage in 2027, delivering a dwell expertise that merges their twin‑vocal, twin‑guitar basis from the Ominous Eclipse period with two defining new components: a customized‑constructed, totally synchronized mild present programmed by the band, and orchestral backing tracks carried out on actual devices; violins, violas, cellos, and horns recorded by the members themselves.
