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It’s no secret – AETHER REALM’s 2017 release Tarot is the album that truly surged these melodic death heroes into the metalverse! The North Carolina, USA-based quartet’s massive, now 12-track/70+ minute sophomore release (expanded with the addition of previous standalone single “The Magician” to the new physical edition) garnered notable underground appeal and cemented the band’s mind-blowingly multi-faceted sound as their own – spurring prominent metal blogs such as No Clean Singing and Angry Metal Guy to dub the album as an “enormous accomplishment” and “spectacular”, respectively. Boasting an evident auditory overhaul courtesy of producer Kile Odell and loosely based on the concept of tarot cards, Tarot begins the masterpiece to come with “The Fool” – beginning modestly, then ominously cascading into a black metal-meets-southern-fried riff inspired fury. Further setting the stage for the remainder of the opus, the incendiary title track “Tarot” leans heavier into what fans have now come to love from AETHER REALM – a confident, cinematic melding of spine-tingling symphonic elements, thrashy rhythms and mind-boggling guitar leads. Following folk metal anthem-turned-talent show “King of Cups” (featuring now-labelmate Christopher Bowes of pirate metal titans Alestorm), Tarot continues to blindingly-shine with tracks like the metallic ballad-echoed “Death” and sinister orchestral oeuvre “The Devil” – the latter of which should catch any competition shaking in their boots. The remainder of Tarot – capped by the nearly 20-minute heroic “The Sun, The Moon, The Star” – proves that it is indeed possible to flawlessly meld southern Americana-metal riffs with European-tinged symphonic soundscapes. Tarot is the album that every band wishes they could attempt by their second go-round, yet AETHER REALM have already achieved it and gaze triumphantly ahead.

© NAPALM RECORDS

To everyone that donated and helped make this album a reality-thank you. We hope you feel some ownership and pride over what we’ve been able to create. We, quite literally, could not have done it without your help, and some individual recognition is in order.

Justin Sanders (Seriously! Jeez dude-thank you so much.)

Rob Jones, Joan Jones, John Arnold

Christopher Bowes, Runeking, High Council

Cody Johnson, Kyle Thomas, Cullen Owen, Nobuhiro Iizuka (all these years!), Aubert Arthur, Rina Yamaguchi, Hayden Gray (glad we finally met IRL), Enoch Carpenter, Eric Musche, Trey McLean, Kyle McGinn, Tigran Kapinos, Peter Misiuk, Joe Bailey, Scott Rumple, Peter Norowski, Mac Smith, Cat Mather, Peter Murphy, Dustin Thiesse, Martin Mannik

Reese Adams, Robert Reynolds, Jeff Acton, Julie Maltais, Richard Samsa, Robin Locke, Antoine Lamontagne, Joshua Winn, Anders Olsen, Sarah Brewer, Sylvain Cloutier, Lloyd Barrington, Steve Doll, Jonathan Adams, Blake Smith, Aaron Sabatine, Evan Lownds, Daniel Hartleb, Alex Zahn, Mary Beck, Yann Pouliot, Kathleen Grub (Florida was LIT), Zachary Huntington-Meath, Miio Seppanen

And to everyone else that donated, helped spread the word, or simply let us know that you’ve enjoyed what we do-thank you. The time that you choose to give to our music means more than can be put into words. See you on the road!

Aether Realm thanks:
Alestorm, Nekrogoblikon and Wilderun for tolerating our bullshit on the road. Maisie Kaiser, Joe Gettler, and Jon Teachey for stepping up and bringing the riff live. Jaiden Frost, for his vision with our indiegogo video. Brian Korff and Ryan Shackleford for their hard work on our first music video. Laura Greenwood and Primitive Ways for helping us keep our heads above water. Christophe Szpajdel, Horst, Nick Rowlett, Jota Cravo, Wega Wahyu, Jorge Gutierrez, Tommy Smith, Pzychopart, and Terminus Tees for keeping our merch game strong. Royal Peasantry for our (now irreversibly sweaty) stage clothes. Jeff Blinder and the whole Greenville squad-we owe you some shows. Every business that’s let us deface their windows with dumb flyers. Everyone that’s let us stay on their spare beds/couches/floors-hospitality on the road means everything.

And of course, you! We hope you enjoy it.

Vincent thanks:
Rob, Joan, Elly, and Mickey Jones, Laura Beach, family, friends, fans (especially the ones that wouldn’t leave me alone about putting this damn thing out), and everyone who worked hard to make some cool art with us.

Donny thanks:
Amber Gatlin, Nick Cross, Thomas Brewer, Brooks Blake, Andy Townsend, Ginger Burbage, my Nana, Jose Chavez, Morgan Vance Hague, breakdowns, kids who spin kick in the pit and kids who push mosh in the pit (y'all two don't get along, but I feel like you could), bald guys that always show up and yell Slaaaaaayyyeeeer, that one fat guy with the pantera shirt at every show, and everyone who helped me when I was diagnosed with Leukemia. You're all awesome.

Heinrich thanks My family, my friends, and the individual that seeks to create, inspire, teach, or otherwise contribute good towards the world we live in.

Tyler thanks: Andy Townsend, Erick Murillo, Lauren Carlston, John Gresham, Scott Gresham

Thor's hammer crashed to the earth with a mighty rumble. When the smoke cleared, there were some guys. Some stuff happened that set the mood, something about a quest to rock some towns, and now we play melodeath.

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