Canadian progressive death metal band ALTERSOUL will release its debut EP, “Origins,” on November 27, 2026, featuring re-recorded versions of three compositions from the OMINOUS ECLIPSE era. The release honours founding bassist Ryan Clements, who passed away in August 2024, while laying the groundwork for the band’s new chapter. Alongside the EP announcement, ALTERSOUL has also released a music video for the new version of ‘Abandoned’, the oldest composition in its catalogue.

Based in Brockville, Ontario, ALTERSOUL emerged from the end of OMINOUS ECLIPSE, a band whose members had spent more than a decade writing, recording and performing together. Founding members James Close and Graham Murphy decided to leave the OMINOUS ECLIPSE name behind and start afresh. Ryan Clements’ death in August 2024 gave that transition a significance that went beyond a simple change of name or project.

“Origins” revisits three compositions from OMINOUS ECLIPSE’s debut album, originally shaped by Murphy, Close and Clements. The new recordings serve as a tribute to the band’s past while giving the musicians an opportunity to develop ideas that could not be fully realised in the original versions. James Close explains that Ryan’s passing deepened their emotional connection to these songs, making the EP a reminder of where the band came from.

The EP opens with ‘Abandoned’, its lead single, which originated as an acoustic guitar composition Graham Murphy wrote around 2009–2010. Murphy says he was inspired by IMMORTAL’s ‘All Shall Fall’ when he first developed the piece. For the ALTERSOUL version, the band preserved the composition’s core while expanding it with orchestral arrangements and a modern production approach.

The lyrics tell the story of a man abandoned in a frozen wasteland, facing his final moments as he succumbs to the cold. The orchestral passages contrast peaceful symphonic sections with traditional metal parts, reflecting the character’s struggle to survive. The finale represents his final breath and eventual acceptance of his fate.

Alongside ‘Abandoned’, “Origins” features re-recorded versions of ‘End of Days’ and ‘Beyond the Apocalypse’. The involvement of Andrew Poskus, OMINOUS ECLIPSE’s original drummer, further strengthens the EP’s connection to the band’s history. Despite being the group’s first drummer, “Origins” marks the first official release to feature his recorded performances. Wenhao Zhou contributes piano, while Heather Istead adds oboe to the EP’s orchestral arrangements.

All recording, production, mixing and mastering were handled by the band itself. ALTERSOUL combines elements of death metal, technical death metal, thrash, black metal and progressive metal with folk influences, orchestral arrangements and atmospheric passages.

James Close says the band has multiple albums’ worth of unreleased material but chose to begin its new chapter by revisiting the songs that shaped its identity. In that sense, “Origins” is not simply a look back; it also lays the foundation for ALTERSOUL’s future releases.

Running 14 minutes and 43 seconds, “Origins” is due out on November 27, 2026. The EP is available to pre-save via Bandcamp, while ‘Abandoned’ can be streamed on Spotify.

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