News | Hypnotic Dirge Records

Marek (Ashok) Šmerda (ex-Cradle of Filth, ex-Root, ex-Equirhodont, ex-Titanic) to appear on upcoming Sigurður album

September 17, 2026

As we’ve alluded to recently, the forthcoming debut album from the Czech-Icelandic black metal project Sigurður features multiple noteworthy guests from the international black metal scene.

Today we begin revealing those guests with none other than legendary Czech guitarist Ashok. Known as an integral member of one of the earliest Czech black metal bands Root (1999-2014), he also served as one of Cradle of Filth’s longest-tenured guitarists (2014-2025). During that period he played a key role in shaping the band’s sound on the series of albums - "Hammer of the Witches", "Cryptoriana", "Existence Is Futile" and "The Screaming of the Valkyries", when Cradle maintained a mostly consistent lineup. Ashok was also a pivotal member of the band Equirhodont and a recent contributor to Titanic among others!

On Sigurður's upcoming record, Ashok contributes the opening guitar solo on the track “Kólga”, which will premiere this Friday.

“Kólga” also prominently features the vocals of Veronika Rovná from the Prague National Theatre. In the days ahead we will share more insight into Veronika’s participation, but for today we let Ashok speak about the collaboration in his own words. Watch here

The debut Sigurður album "Niu lif Einars Hrafns" (Nine Lives of Einarr the Raven) releases November 6 on LP and CD.

Pre-orders go live this Friday!

Posted by Hypnotic Dirge Records. Posted In : Sigurður

SIGURÐUR - Niu lif Einars Hrafns (First teaser)

September 15, 2026

SIGURÐUR - Niu lif Einars Hrafns

(Nine Lives of Einarr the Raven)

Tonight we reveal the first short audio teaser from the forthcoming Sigurður album "Niu lif Einars Hrafns"
Listen here

Keep an eye out as we have a lot more exciting news about this record being revealed later this week!

• Synopsis •

Einarr’s story reflects the eternal search for answers to existential questions through the lens of Norse mythology and the untamed Icelandic landscape.”

The epic Nine Lives of Einarr the Rave...

Posted by Hypnotic Dirge Records. Posted In : Sigurður

UPCOMING RELEASE: SIGURÐUR - Niu lif Einars Hrafns

September 9, 2026

The debut album from SIGURÐUR, founded by Czech-Icelandic musician Martin Sigurdur Kajzar is fast approaching.

On November 6, Hypnotic Dirge will release "Niu lif Einars Hrafns" (Nine Lives of Einarr the Raven), following the symbolic journey of Einarr - a wandering soul repeatedly returning in the form of a raven through darkness, death and memory.

"Niu lif Einars Hrafns" is presented as a gatefold LP with an insert including the lyrics in English, Icelandic, and Czech. The CD edition is als...

Posted by Hypnotic Dirge Records. Posted In : Sigurður

ALBUM RELEASE: Epitimia - Тяготение

September 7, 2026

A brand new Epitimia EP, entitled "Тяготение" is out today!

When we came to an agreement to release "Тяготение", it was decided that rather than running pre-orders and releasing advance tracks from this EP, it was best to just present it in full on release date! Now today is that day - head over to Bandcamp, Ampwall, or Youtube to listen in full. CD's are also available, at the low price of 8€ since it is just an EP. You can also bundle the new EP with 2014's double-album "...

Posted by Hypnotic Dirge Records. Posted In : Epitimia

SONG PREMIERE : Stellar Rot - Through the Eternity Stairs

September 3, 2026

A brand new Stellar Rot track, the album's opener entitled "Through the Eternity Stairs" is premiering now courtesy of Decibel Magazine!

Read article / stream the song

"“Through the Eternity Stairs’ transports the listener on a cruel journey into the void beyond the mortal realm, where unfathomable horrors exist. This is where the sinister god of a thousand faces shifts the fate of all mortal beings, as he weaves his twisted plans through the fabric of reality. This track showcases what Ste...

Posted by Hypnotic Dirge Records. Posted In : Stellar Rot

PRE-ORDERS LIVE: Marea - A Caress Of Autumn For All The Lost

September 1, 2026

We are launching pre-orders for the release of Marea's second album "A Caress of Autumn For all the Lost"

Jointly released by Hypnotic Dirge and Masked Dead Records, "A Caress of Autumn For all the Lost" contains 8 new tracks totataling nearly an hour. Available on DLP in two colours variants - "Ocean Blue" and "Autumn Red" - limited to 100 copies each, and on CD presented in a 4-panel digipack with a 12 page booklet.

DLP, CD, and Digital all release Friday October 9

Pre-order CD

Pre-order DLP

�...

Posted by Hypnotic Dirge Records. Posted In : Marea

SONG PREMIERE : Marea - Aurora

September 1, 2026

We are launching pre-orders for the release of Marea's second album "A Caress of Autumn For all the Lost"

Pre-order CD | Pre-order DLP

To mark this occasion, we are also premiering the video for the track "Aurora", taken from the new album.

Speaking about "Aurora" Matteo Balzarini of Marea says:

"This song is probably the heaviest and most aggressive I have done to date, while still maintaining the melancholic feeling that runs through the whole album. Conceptually, it's about the initial hope a...

Posted by Hypnotic Dirge Records. Posted In : Marea

ALBUM RELEASE: Dysthymia - The Morning Darkness

August 22, 2026

Dysthymia's sophomore record "The Morning Darkness" is officially released this evening!

In collaboration with Anti-fascist Black Metal Network, we are premiering the full album right now.

Stream it on Youtube, Bandcamp, and Ampwall.

Jointly released by Hypnotic Dirge and Red Nebula, "The Morning Darkness" is presented in both CD and LP formats.

The CD - presented in a 6 panel digipack in an edition of 300 - releases today alongside the full album stream, while the LP is scheduled to ship in Nov...

Posted by Hypnotic Dirge Records. Posted In : Dysthymia

PRE-ORDERS LIVE : STELLAR ROT - Where the Formless Ones Dwell

August 14, 2026

We are now taking pre-orders for the debut album from Melodic Black Metal duo Stellar Rot.

"Where the Formless Ones Dwell" is available on CD and LP formats, with the CD/Digital release scheduled for September 25 and the LP scheduled to ship later in January 2027. The CD edition is presented in a 6 Panel digipack adorned with artwork from the Brazilian artist Blasphemator Art, limited to 300 copies for the first pressing.

The LP edition is available in two colour variants, a "Celestial Shards�...

Posted by Hypnotic Dirge Records. Posted In : Stellar Rot

UPCOMING RELEASE: Sigurður - Nine Lives of Einarr the Raven

August 7, 2026

SIGURÐUR is a Czech-Icelandic black metal project created by Martin Sigurdur Kajzar - musician, producer and composer moving between Ostrava and the Icelandic Westfjords.

Deeply inspired by Norse mythology, Icelandic landscape and the atmosphere of the old Scandinavian scene, the project combines raw black metal with atmospheric passages, ritual elements and cinematic storytelling.

The debut album, Nine Lives of Einarr the Raven, follows the symbolic journey of Einarr - a wandering soul repeat...

Posted by Hypnotic Dirge Records. Posted In : Sigurður

Marek (Ashok) Šmerda (ex-Cradle of Filth, ex-Root, ex-Equirhodont, ex-Titanic) to appear on upcoming Sigurður album

SIGURÐUR - Niu lif Einars Hrafns (First teaser)

UPCOMING RELEASE: SIGURÐUR - Niu lif Einars Hrafns

ALBUM RELEASE: Epitimia - Тяготение

SONG PREMIERE : Stellar Rot - Through the Eternity Stairs

PRE-ORDERS LIVE: Marea - A Caress Of Autumn For All The Lost

SONG PREMIERE : Marea - Aurora

ALBUM RELEASE: Dysthymia - The Morning Darkness

PRE-ORDERS LIVE : STELLAR ROT - Where the Formless Ones Dwell

UPCOMING RELEASE: Sigurður - Nine Lives of Einarr the Raven

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