ABSOLUTE KEY is another, magickal work of Antti Klemi, vocalist/lyricist for the ever-singular Circle of Ouroborus and editor of the esteemed Kaleidoscope zine. While one could make faint comparisons here to Circle of Ouroborus, ABSOLUTE KEY is very much its own entity, and has proven as much over their feverish discography the last three years.

As Klemi explains, "The name of the album refers to a vision I had in a dream. There were three levels of death – the physical one, the spiritual one, and then the final death where even death is dissolved. No memories, no grieving, no other sides. Just nothing."

Continuing about the lyrics, he says, "The themes of death and decay are strong on this album in general, too. It’s observing for example how death is present in our everyday life – it’s oozing from the dark corners, from hidden angles and behind cellar doors. There is a poem by Finnish poet Eino Leino, where the main character is seeing death and demons everywhere and he wants to die, but even his dead ancestors are rejecting him. In the end, he gets his peace just by accepting these horrors around him. Some days are better and some worse, but he relies on those better ones. This is maybe the main message of The Third Level of Decay."

ABSOLUTE KEY are just as challenging musically as they are lyrically. "Musically, this album sprung from an idea of totally bleak and monotonous industrial/black metal hybrid, driven by simple, repetitive drumbeats and cold synth/guitar riffs," Klemi explains. "With time, these songs took many twists and turns, layers were laden one after another, and the labyrinth grew more complex and serpentine. So, The Third Level of Decay is play between two elements – blunt, primitive, and 'physical' core and spectral, unconscious, and 'spiritual' details. And that third level, death of deaths, humming over this all."

To celebrate the release of The Third Level of Decay, ABSOLUTE KEY will be making its live debut at this year's Invicta Requiem Mass festival, curated as always by SIGNAL REX. Drown in layers of sonic defiance! 

Tracklist

1 A Hidden Angle
2 Closer, Further
3 Flakes Of Ash
4 A Wrecked Spine
5 The Cellar Door
6 The Third Level Of Decay