Mixing gothic melodies, deep beats and dark grooves, the upcoming album from Nepthisis is a cross genre treat. It isn’t always easy listening, but in terms of invention and complex textures, it’s the kind of release that’ll uncover something new with each play. Between the heavy grinding edges of ‘Go Inside’, the semi-acoustic moods of ‘Hazel Pebbles’ and the haunting sparseness of ‘My Darkness’, it has a restless heart, but also a strong desire to take the gothic into new territory.
The press materials for the upcoming release suggest that ‘Spiral Hollow’ “…comes from a place below the surface where the sleepless and sinister dwell. Heavily inspired by Egyptian mythology and the twin goddesses Nephthys and Isis – from which the outfit garners their name – Spiral Hollow is transformed by the darkest of dreams and the most primal desires. Musically, this exploration takes on gothic nuances while abandoning any hesitation in exchange for a more aggressive spirit unbound by genres.”
The driving force behind the project, Sheila Eden comments: “During the pandemic, I took a deep, dark dive and unleashed my true honest, chosen sound and identity in an album under the dark goddess name & brand NEPTHISIS. The music is dark and heart-wrenching, and pairs with cinematic visuals and storytelling. This is my dream, and it’s coming to fruition. It feels exciting and vulnerable, daring and aligned.”
One of the album’s highlights, ‘Locked Up In This Hill’ throws out grinding bass grooves, cold and mechanical edges and a very retro 90s sound, and yet still manages to sound like a cross-genre track pushing for new ground. Hearing it for the first time is like experiencing a weird mash-up of My Dying Bride and Florence + The Machine and is guaranteed to have fans of alternative sounds hitting the repeat button to glean the smaller musical details on each successive listen, whilst drowning in a huge and ever shifting vocal melody.
‘Spiral Hollow’ is unleashed on January 21st 2022, but you can take an early listen to ‘Locked Up In This Hill’ below.