HORTUS ANIMAE

The first live album by Italian Avant-garde Gothic Black Metal band.
“Piove Sangue” is a very special album, that celebrates the twenty-year anniversary of the Italian Extreme Metal pioneers, twenty years since the release of their first demo tape "An Abode For Spirit And Flesh" in 1998.
It was recorded live at Banská Bystrica (Slovakia), on the last date of the Total Metal Over Europe Tour, Pt. 2, which the band held with legendary German Thrashers Necronomicon, whose vocalist, Volker "Freddy" Fredrich, appeared on stage with Hortus Animae for a raging version of Slayer’s “Raining Blood” (from which the album also takes its title, in Italian).
This live highlights a tight band in great musical shape; it is an excellent overview of the band's history, and what you can expect when you see them live.
A must for fans of Enslaved, early Opeth, Cradle Of Filth, Dimmu Borgir, Arch Enemy, as well as for all the fans of finest Extreme Metal!!
LP comes with download card for the full album + bonus track "Aqualung".
BlackHeavens Music/Aesthetic Death/Azermedoth Records/Metal Scrap Records Inc./M.A.S.D. Records, 2018 (BHM003 / ADCD046 / AZH-CD/LP-159 / MSR140/GLP / #MRCD002). Made in Poland. First press. Strictly limited to 200 copies Gatefold 140 g Vinyl.


Tracklist:

Side 1:
01. Furious Winds / Locusts 04:25
02. Chamber of Endless Nightmares 06:31
03. Doomsday 07:57

Side 2:
04. Medley 09:40
I - In Adoration of the Weeping Skies
II - Cruciatus Tacitus
III - Souls of the Cold Wind
05. There's No Sanctuary 06:36
06. Raining Blood (feat. Freddy of Necronomicon) 04:41



 

The second single by the Italian Symphonic Gothic Doom/Black Metal band.
Hortus Animae are back with a new Maxi Single, that includes three various versions of the new song "There’s No Sanctuary", one of which features the Norwegian Queen of Gothic Rock/Metal Liv Kristine!
CD also includes four cover songs from the Kings of Norwegian Black Metal: Immortal, Burzum, Emperor, and Mayhem!!
In total, more than 40 minutes of new dark music. The soundtrack to old grudges resurfacing.
This is the first release featuring the new logo made by Christophe Szpajdel, the Lord of Logos (Moonspell, Emperor, Borknagar, Dimmu Borgir, Nunslaughter, etc.).
A must have for fans of the finest Extreme Metal!!
BlackHeaven Music/Azermedoth Records, 2016 (AZH-CD-233 / BHM001). Made in Mexico.


Tracklist:
1. There´s No Sanctuary (with Liv Kristine)
2. Blashyrkh (Mighty Ravendark) (Immortal Cover)
3. Dunkelheit (Burzum Cover)
4. Inno A Satana (Emperor Cover)
5. Pure Fucking Armageddon (Mayhem Cover)
6. There´s No Sanctuary (Martyr's way mix)
7. There´s No Sanctuary (with Liv Kristine / edit)
Total playing time: 42:58

Official merch.
Ø 27mm
Hortus Animae, 2014. Made in Italy.

The fourth full-length album by Italian Progressive Black Metal band.
Compared to the Symphonic Black Metal of the early years, Hortus Animae have moved towards a melodic Avant-garde Death-Black Metal, which incorporates elements of Dark, Progressive and Electronica.
In Hortus Animae’s music always crossed different styles, and the new album is no exception. Here we have classic Black Metal, Gothic and even Prog! The musicians always gravitated around Progressive Rock, but this tendency is more visible on this new album. That said, the music does not become too eclectic and marginal. All together, it sounds very harmonic, nothing gets out. This is clearly a band that is completely unafraid to follow their instincts, and that factor grants the whole record an authenticity that is too often lacking in albums by bands that want to do everything by the book.
Vocals are equally changeable but everything works fluidly and all the pieces get together admirably. Neo-classical piano runs add ghostly atmosphere and it’s near impossible to guess what sort of lunacy is going to unveil itself next from this melting pot of an album.
The songwriting on show keeps the listener on their toes. Conceptually more interesting and stylistically more intriguing than in the past. 
This is Secular Music worthy of praise and with so much going on the eccentric trip is a highly involving one.
This gripping album should pick your interest if you have the open mindedness to keep up with it!
Flicknife Records, 2014 (SHARPCD14064). Made in UK. First press.


Tracklist:
1. God and His Disgusting Children 07:18 
2. Blood of the Earth / The Truth Against the World 07:43
3. Dystopian Apocalypse 06:29
4. At the End of Doomsday 11:23
5. The Poison of the Naga 08:43
6. Impromptu Op. II / Pain Relieved 03:58 
7. Chamber of Endless Nightmares 06:53
8. Aqualung (Jethro Tull cover) 06:20
Total playing time: 58:47