Vulpecula (US) - In Dusk Apparition

Taken from Bird of Ill Omen Website: Casting one's gaze upward into the vast emptiness of the night sky, one gets a sense of the profound isolation of man in the context of the universe while simultaneously being awed at its majesty. Man's dominion, which looms so large under the light of day, is reduced to nothing against the subtle and ancient light of the infinite collection of the distant stars and the interstitial blackness of space. Vulpecula conjure perfectly this shiver of loneliness that we must confront. They embrace the mystery of the void and the vastness of space. The mighty Chuck Keller (Order From Chaos, Ares Kingdom) began Vulpecula in the mid 1990's as a vehicle for exploring these celestial themes. Compositionally, Vulpecula defies simple categorization as do all of Keller's projects. No single term can be employed to describe the sound of Vulpecula. Although elements of black metal, death metal, thrash, and ambient/experimental can be heard, the music instead revolves around the conceptual framework of the band. Riffs and sounds are chosen for the evocative effect rather than an attempt to remain within a particular style. Nonetheless, anyone familiar with Keller's guitar playing will recognize his proclivity for epic song structures and intricate songwriting. Supplementing Keller's guitar work is the precise and artful percussion of Chris Overton (Legeia/Nepenthe). Following the brilliant Fons Immortalis 10", Keller and Overton began working on a full-length project that was never realized. What was written and recorded was shelved until Invictus released the CD version of In Dusk Apparition in 2006. Now, Bird of Ill Omen has had the tremendous honor of presenting this recording on vinyl and hopefully presenting it to a larger audience to appreciate and admire. Vulpecula was years ahead of their time and In Dusk Apparition is a perfect example of this. Although overlooked and nearly forgotten, listening to it again, one recognizes that it is not only a monumental and unique metal album, but also a masterwork of reverence for the universe around us and an insatiable desire to explore the limitless unknown.