The Chthonic Chronicles

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The Chthonic Chronicles
Studio album by Bal-Sagoth
Released	2006
Recorded	2003-2005
Genre	Symphonic black metal
Length	60:39
Label	Candlelight Records Nuclear Blast
Professional reviews
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Bal-Sagoth chronology
Atlantis Ascendant (2001) The Chthonic Chronicles (2006)

The Chthonic Chronicles is Bal-Sagoth's sixth album, the first in five years since 2001's Atlantis Ascendant. It is rumoured to be their last album; their first album's introduction song is called Hatheg-Kla and the final song on The Chthonic Chronicles is called Return to Hatheg-Kla, perhaps making their vision of an epic Hexalogy come full circle. Although Bal-Sagoth vocalist/lyricist Byron Roberts most often refers to The Chthonic Chronicles as "the end of the Hexalogy," this could also refer to the end of this particular set of stories. Byron has stated himself that there is an abundance of lyrical material left for the possible continuation of Bal-Sagoth.

Bal-Sagoth's now-established tradition of lyrics revolving around antediluvian settings such as Atlantis, Lemuria and Mu is once again present, and song titles such as "Shackled To The Trilithon Of Kutulu" indicate that the heavy H. P. Lovecraft inspiration, that set a tone of cosmic horror to the lyrical aspects of their previous albums, is present too. The band continues previous storylines (which began on previous albums) in the songs "Invocations Beyond the Outer-world Night", "The Obsidian Crown Unbound" and "Unfettering the Hoary Sentinels of Karnak".

The obscurely-worded album title refers to a key story element in the lyrics, and the chronicles themselves are a pure work of fiction from lyrics writer Byron Roberts. The very rare word has been used in literature by T. S. Eliot, C. F. Keary and M. McCarthy, and is Greek in origin, meaning "earthly", specifically dealing with the underworld and spirits. (more info about Chthonic)

This album was released in Europe on March 10, 2006 through Nuclear Blast, and was released in the US on May 16, 2006 through Candlelight Records USA.

"The Hammer of the Emperor" is the only track of the album in which Byron's deep voice is the only performed.

Track listing

• All Songs Written By Roberts/Maulding/Maulding.

1. "The Sixth Adulation of His Chthonic Majesty" - 4:20
2. "Invocations Beyond the Outer-World Night" - 5:26
3. "Six Score and Ten Oblations To a Malefic Avatar" - 6:08
4. "The Obsidian Crown Unbound" - 5:58
5. "The Fallen Kingdoms of the Abyssal Plain" - 4:38
6. "Shackled to the Trilithon of Kutulu" - 4:02
7. "The Hammer of the Emperor" - 6:58
8. "Unfettering the Hoary Sentinels of Karnak" - 4:22
9. "To Storm the Cyclopean Gates of Byzantium" - 4:57
10. "Arcana Antediluvia" - 5:07
11. "Beneath the Crimson Vaults of Cydonia" - 5:15
12. "Return to Hatheg-Kla" - 3:28

Personnel

• Byron Roberts: Vocals
• Chris Maulding: All Guitars
• Jonny Maulding: Keyboards
• Mark Greenwell: Bass
• Paul "Wak" Jackson: Drums