Swedish gothic metal/rock act Ashen Sun has unveiled details of its upcoming EP Velarium, set for release on 27 March through Desert Plain Records. The six‑track offering delivers a brooding blend of gothic rock and gothic metal, with the first single “Black Thoughts” arriving on 27 February, followed by a second single on 13 March.
Ashen Sun is the latest creative incarnation of Johnny Hagel, stepping once more into the shadows after his years as bassist and co‑writer in Tiamat and Sundown. Conceived in solitude throughout 2024, the project bears the unmistakable weight of isolation: dimming worlds, internal erosion, and the suffocating quiet of a room where the walls seem to close in. Musically, Ashen Sun inhabits a cold, gothic rock landscape threaded with electronic undertones — 90s melancholy, cold‑wave synths and cinematic textures woven together without chasing modernity for its own sake. Hagel describes the project as “a requiem for fading empires and dying stars” — a fitting mission statement for the sound he’s sculpting.
Following the release of the debut single "Whisper To The Skull" in October 2025 and “Faith’s Funeral” in December 2025 — which quickly gained playlist traction and strong early reception — Ashen Sun now prepares to unveil the full EP. Velarium expands the project’s thematic palette into six bleak and atmospheric chapters: cynicism tightening its grip, devotion curdling into something corrosive, cities dissolving into smoke, the relentless turning of an unseen wheel, the apocalyptic backdrop of the title track, and a final fog‑shrouded descent where sleep drags the dead back into the room.
Below you can revisit last year’s debut single “Faith’s Funeral”, along with the cover artwork and full tracklist for Velarium. Fans of Tiamat, The Sisters Of Mercy, Fields Of The Nephilim, and Type O Negative should definitely check it out. Link
Velarium tracklist:
01. Black Thoughts
02. Desperate Vows
03. Ashes Of The World
04. An Ever Turning Wheel
05. Velarium
06. Dreaming Of The Dead
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"We were kind of exploring dark subject matters and darker sounds. I really like that, and this is the direction we are going right now." - Larissa Vale
"Goth people want to have fun sometimes too. I guess if your listening time is 99% dark, sad songs or evil black metal songs, sometimes you want 1% joy, and here I come." - Franck Hueso
"We're really into oxymorons and that sort of thing. Years and years ago, we came up with this idea—well, we didn't invent it, but we called it "happy sad"." - Matt James
"When you feel something you need to share, creating songs is the best way to do it. You can reflect on yourself so that you can relax and be relieved of that emotion." - Çağla Güleray
