Following the fierce comeback statement "Black Matter Manifesto", Samael now present "Hidden Empire", the second track featured on their forthcoming limited 12" maxi single vinyl, due for release on 24 April via Napalm Records.
The new song delves into the unseen frameworks shaping modern existence, channelling its dark themes into a tense and weighty sonic landscape. Opening with echoes of Samael's classic era before shifting into a crushing fusion of heavy riffs and mechanical intensity, "Hidden Empire" highlights the band's ability to balance oppressive atmosphere with hypnotic melody. Together with "Black Matter Manifesto", it forms a powerful two‑track statement proving that the Swiss pioneers remain as uncompromising and forward‑thinking as ever.
Samael on "Hidden Empire": "Hidden in plain sight, right in front of us, everywhere and at all times. We no longer see what we are used to seeing; it is our reality, a reality to which we willingly submit in order to lead a painless but meaningless existence. Musically, the beginning of the song is somewhat reminiscent of Samael's classic track 'My Saviour', but it quickly evolves into something more unusual for the band. It is a heavy song with an industrial touch that maintains high tension from start to finish".
"Black Matter Manifesto" (click HERE for the lyric video) marks Samael's long‑awaited return — raw, forceful, and unmistakably theirs. With "Hidden Empire", the legendary Swiss innovators reaffirm their enduring presence, delivering a track that commands through sheer intensity while retaining the band's trademark melodies and haunting riffs. Together, these songs underscore Samael's relentless drive to expand a genre they helped shape — as vital, uncompromising, and imposing as ever. Link
* Samael live:
28.03.26 DE – Hirschaid / Braincrusher In Hell Festival
04.04.26 NO – Oslo / Inferno Festival
25.06.26 LT – Ukmerge / Kilkim Zaibu
05.08.26 CZ – Jaromer / Brutal Assault
Germany's dark electro / gothic metal formation Inception Of Eternity have presented their new body of work, Nature Always Wins, under Darksign Records. With this release, the project...
Chilean darkwave/coldwave/electro duo Vioflesh returns with “Suffocating”, a stark and emotionally charged new single that dives deep into the weight of unspoken fears and the ghosts...
M‑Theory Audio proudly announces the signing of Finnish melancholic metal outfit Endless Chain. To mark the beginning of this new partnership, the group have presented their brand‑new...
Swedish atmospheric black metal duo Grey Shores have released “The Withering Tree”, the first single taken from their forthcoming debut album Dark Waters Of Night, set for release on...
"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
"Sometimes an album just falls into place, and Rapture is one of those albums. From the beginning, I felt that things were lining up and everything was flowing." - Ashley Dayour
"I think it's basically a mutation of a lot of different things — like a hybrid creature nobody quite knows how to categorise. A heretic, I guess." - Håvard Ellefsen (Mortiis)
"The whole thing for us with the lore we have created is inspired by Greek Mythology and the stories of Atlantis." - Phil Primmer
