Deathspell Omega is a French black metal band formed in 1998. Their lyrical content deals primarily with Satanism on a metaphysical level – as the band has stated that "all other interpretations of Satan are intellectually invalid" – and other various theological topics. From 2004 to 2010, they released a series of three concept albums which focus on the theological aspects of God, Satan and man's relationship with the two. Some of their lyrical inspiration has come from the post-surrealist Georges Bataille as well as existentialist themes. The band's seventh album, The Furnaces of Palingenesia, was released on May 24, 2019, and reflects a shift in lyrical focus for the band; it is a deconstruction and condemnation of totalitarianism of all stripes, as confirmed in the band's interview for Bardo Methodology the following month. It also reflected a shift in approach: they recorded it live in the studio using analog equipment. Deathspell Omega released their eighth and currently most recent album, The Long Defeat, on March 23, 2022; their press releases labelled it "the first emanation of Deathspell Omega's third era". While information about the band's membership has never been officially confirmed (apart from Shaxul being known as the band's first vocalist), it is generally believed that Deathspell Omega was created by Hasjarl as a side project before Hirilorn broke up. After Hirilorn split, it is believed that Shaxul, Hasjarl and Khaos created Deathspell Omega, with Hasjarl's brother (no known pseudonym) on drums. Eventually, Shaxul is confirmed to have left due to his distaste for the band moving towards Orthodox Satanism, and is believed to have been replaced by Mikko Aspa on vocals. Apart from Shaxul's identity, there are no official sources for any of this, however; much of the information about the remaining membership appears to be based on correspondence with Shaxul himself, and it's speculated that additional musicians may appear on some of the band's work since he left. The band gave no interviews between 2004 (for Ajna Offensive) and 2019 (for Bardo Methodology); although the band has consistently taken pains to conceal its members' identities, the interviews are quite candid explications of the band's ideologies and mindsets at the times the interviews were given. The Bardo interview also addresses an ideological chasm in the band between the "French core" of the band and "parts of the second circle", which is presumed to refer to Aspa's involvement in the project; Aspa has noted associations with authoritarian political movements. The band gave another interview in 2020 with Roy Kristensen for the website Cult Never Dies in which they elaborated further on some of their ideas. The Long Defeat, as of this writing Deathspell Omega's most recent release, reflects something of a shift in stylistic focus, as it brings the slower, more melodic elements that had shown up occasionally across the band's prior two decades of work (e.g., "Carnal Malefactor", "Apokatastasis pantôn", "Salowe Vision") to the forefront. It also clearly features several vocalists, although the exact number and which parts they perform remains a matter of conjecture. (Common conjectures include Aspa, Daniel Rostén of Funeral Mist and Marduk, Spica of S.V.E.S.T., M. of Mgła, and Silenius of Abigor and Summoning.) Lyrically, the album is centred around an allegorical fable about techno-capitalism and humanity's despoilment of nature, featuring a silhouette who represents a corruptible man, several beasts, and Satan in the form of a gigantic, diseased black poodle; many of the themes addressed in the Bardo Methodology and Cult Never Dies interviews reappear in the album and its accompanying fable. In addition to these, the album also features a two-metre-long mural addressing many of the same themes. The fable ends with the phrase "To Be Continued", suggesting that it is the first part of a longer work. Hasjarl is the owner of End All Life Productions and one of the main forces behind Norma Evangelium Diaboli. Mikko Aspa is the owner of Northern Heritage Records and Freak Animal Records (power electronics label), and is also believed to own a progressive rock label called Totuuden Sarvi Levyt. Shaxul (ex-member) is the owner of Legion of Death Records. In December 2015, the band launched a Bandcamp site. Major releases: 1999 - Disciples of the Ultimate Void (demo, later re-released as part of Infernal Battles) 2000 - Sob a lua do bode / Demoniac Vengeance (split with Moonblood) 2000 - Infernal Battles 2001 - split with Clandestine Blaze 2002 - split with Mütiilation 2002 - Inquisitors of Satan 2004 - Si monumentum requires, circumspice 2005 - From the Entrails to the Dirt (four-way split with Malicious Secrets, Antaeus, and Mütiilation) 2005 - Kénôse (EP) 2005 - Crushing the Holy Trinity (six-way split with Stabat mater, Musta surma, Clandestine Blaze, Mgła, and Exordium) 2007 - Fas - ite, maledicti, in ignem aeternum 2008 - Veritas diaboli manet in aeternum: Chaining the Katechon (EP, also released on vinyl as part of a split with S.V.E.S.T.) 2008 - Mass Grave Aesthetics (EP, originally released in 2005 on From the Entrails to the Dirt) 2008 - Manifestations 2000-2001 (compilation of previously released material from Mütiilation split, Moonblood split, and Black Metal Blitzkrieg multi-artist compilation) 2008 - Manifestations 2002 (previously unreleased album) 2010 - Paracletus 2011 - Diabolus absconditus (EP, originally released in 2005 on Crushing the Holy Trinity) 2012 - Drought (EP) 2016 - The Synarchy of Molten Bones 2019 - The Furnaces of Palingenesia 2022 - The Long Defeat Note that the material from the Clandestine Blaze split from 2001 contains material not on any of the other above releases. There are also two untitled, comprehensive vinyl box sets, one a five-LP set compiling all the material from the Shaxul era (2000-2002; LP 1: Infernal Battles, LP 2: Inquisitors of Satan, LP 3: Manifestations 2000-2001, LP 4: Manifestations 2002, LP 5: Deathspell side of Clandestine Blaze split) released in 2009 and the other a seven-LP set compiling all the material from the Mikko Aspa era's "trilogy" and related releases (2004-2012; LPs 1-2: Si monumentum requires, circumspice; LP 3: Kénôse; LP 4: Diabolus absconditus/Mass Grave Aesthetics; LP 5: Fas - ite, maledicti, in ignem aeternum; LP 6: Chaining the Katechon/Drought; LP 7: Paracletus) released in 2012.