Greece’s Embrace of Thorns join Chile’s Invocation on Invoking the Noumenon / Crushing the Feeble Messianic Embrace, released through Iron Bonehead Productions on October 30, 2026, on CD and 12-inch vinyl. The two sides share a dark atmosphere while retaining their own approach to Black/Death Metal.
“Life-Strife-Transgression” begins abruptly with a heavy, malevolent riff and pounding drums. The double-kick passages reinforce the weight of the guitars, while persistent rolls and tom fills keep the rhythm in motion. These details are central to the track’s force: the drums do more than follow the riffs, giving the slower sections an insistent momentum.
“Destroyer of all Maladies” brings forward the vocal force associated with Atonement Ritual and Praying for Absolution. Piercing guitars cut through relentless blastbeats before the final stretch turns increasingly chaotic, alternating crushing rhythms with violent acceleration. The outro provides a transition into Invocation’s side.
“Altar of Unseen Prayers” opens with a dark, heavy sound in which the individual instruments remain distinguishable. The vocals move between the abrasive character of Black Metal and deeper Death Metal growls, with brief whispered passages adding another texture. Dark guitar melodies appear within the riffs, while bursts of blastbeats interrupt the weightier sections.
“Impetuous” is the most furious piece on Invocation’s side. Its pounding rhythms gain force from the shifts between slower passages, mid-paced sections and faster attacks. “The Shattered Torch” continues this interplay, with tremolo-picked riffs giving the faster passages a rawer edge. The production remains dark and visceral without obscuring the instrumental detail, accompanying lyrical themes of witchcraft, spiritism and ritual.
The split’s strength lies in how these approaches meet. Embrace of Thorns place particular emphasis on the interaction between punishing drums, piercing guitars and forceful vocals; Invocation combine changes of pace with dark melodic details and contrasting vocal registers. Both sides sustain the atmosphere without relying on uninterrupted speed.
Full stream: Listen to the complete split on YouTube.
