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SHABTI Unveils “Sojourner” From Upcoming New Album
SHABTI Deepens The Darkness
Maine-based black/death metal collective SHABTI has unveiled their new track ‘Sojourner’ ahead of the release of their third studio album "Haze, Cacophony, And White Light". Bringing together musicians from bands such as Obsidian Tongue, Fires In The Distance, and Panopticon, the group continues to explore an extreme metal approach that combines technical intensity with dark atmospheric elements.
Originating from Portland, Maine, SHABTI’s newly released track ‘Sojourner’ highlights the band’s harsher, more complex, and experimental side. The song merges the bleak textures of black metal with the aggression of death metal and progressive nuances, creating a dense atmosphere built around dynamic shifts.
"Haze, Cacophony, And White Light" is described as a conceptual work that explores past experiences, loss, and feelings of alienation through mythological and dreamlike imagery. Themes of grief, longing, faith, and humanity’s search for meaning stand at the center of the album’s lyrical world, with SHABTI delivering this narrative through a dark and imposing extreme metal language.
The album was primarily recorded by the band themselves, with additional vocal and guitar tracking completed at Acadia Recording Company in Portland. Mixing was handled by Falls Of Rauros member Aaron Charles at The Cathedral of Psychic Death, while Dan Lowndes took care of mastering. The album artwork was created by artist Ibay Arifin.
Speaking about ‘Sojourner’, vocalist and guitarist Rob Cook stated that the track represents one of the album’s strongest expressions of black metal influence, while also incorporating elements from various other extreme metal styles in a natural way. Cook also noted that the song’s lyrical narrative revolves around themes of loss, regret, and the struggle to reach unattainable goals.
SHABTI’s third album "Haze, Cacophony, And White Light" will be released on August 21, 2026, via Contemn Light in digital format and on cassette. Before the album’s arrival, the band will celebrate the release with a special hometown show at Genos in Portland on August 14.
Formed in 2008, SHABTI have carved out a distinct place within Maine’s extreme metal scene with their dark, aggressive, and atmospheric take on technical black/death metal. Featuring Ray Capizzo (drums), Rob Cook (vocals, guitar), and Brendan Hayter (bass), the band has previously shared the stage with notable acts including Immolation, Blood Incantation, Necrot, and Conan.
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