James Thompson's one-man black metal project ENCASEMENT will release its self-titled debut full-length on September 4 through a joint collaboration between Hypaethral Records and I, Voidhanger Records. The album's first single, "Fragmentation," is now available for streaming.

Founded in 2024, ENCASEMENT began as a creative experiment but gradually evolved into a deeply personal artistic endeavor reflecting Thompson's inner world. The convergence of musical ideas with poems he had written years earlier became one of the defining forces behind the album's creative process. The result is a six-track work centered on grief, introspection, and emotional catharsis.

Rooted in black metal, the album also incorporates elements of death metal alongside progressive and experimental influences. With its dense atmosphere and willingness to push beyond conventional boundaries, ENCASEMENT draws inspiration from artists such as Liturgy, Deafheaven, Thantifaxath, and Gorguts, while the compositional process was further informed by the orchestral works of classical composers Dmitri Shostakovich, Sergei Prokofiev, and Maurice Ravel.

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James Thompson handled the album's recording, mixing, and mastering in their entirety. Rather than pursuing technical perfection, he embraced an instinct-driven creative approach, favoring raw performances and unconventional production choices. That philosophy gives the debut a more immediate and intimate character.

Serving as both the album's closing track and its first single, "Fragmentation" stands at the emotional core of the project. According to Thompson, the song explores accepting loss, allowing oneself to grieve, confronting nostalgia, and finding the strength to move forward without being weighed down by guilt.

The self-titled Encasement will be released on September 4 as a limited-edition red vinyl via Hypaethral Records and on CD through I, Voidhanger Records. Pre-orders for the album are now available.

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