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
Italian darkwave/post‑punk newcomers The Autumn Aurora present their debut full‑length False Idols, a record that explores introspection, alienation and social disillusionment while...
Following the triumphant arrival of their debut single "Ashen World", symphonic metal ensemble Kamelot now issue the second chapter from their upcoming record, Dark Asylum, slated to...
Austin‑based darkwave and electronic rock project Mass Minor, led by multi‑instrumentalist Andrew J. Martin, Jr., returns with a brand new single “Nowhere Now”, marking the first official...
Gothic‑infused blackened death metal group The Noctambulant have served another cut, "San Martino", from their upcoming studio effort Revival, slated for release on 18 September via...
"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
"I'm quite obsessive, and when I work on music, I can overwork and get myself in trouble. I always had a breakdown when I finished an album, because I drove myself to the brink." - Mick Moss
"It's not only about me; everybody deals with identity in a way because the world is asking so much of you all the time. You need to relate to..." - Raven van Dorst
"There's much more detail in our music now than 20 years ago. It's also much easier nowadays because you can do many things at home." - Morten Lybecker
