Mars
The Scorpion
File under: Apocalyptic / DarkFolk For fans of: Rome, Of The Wand & The Moon, King Dude, Sol Invictus, Death In June 6-panel eco-digifile With "The Scorpion", MARS once again open the door to a world where ancient gods still whisper, the earth does not forget its dead, and human beings are confronted with their own shadows. Their fourth studio album takes the German duo deeper than ever into the dark realms of Apocalyptic / Dark Folk, Dark Americana and shamanic ritual music. MARS are Marcus S.(:Golgatha:, Vortex) and Oliver F. (Vinur, Serpentz). Since their formation in 2011, MARS have developed a sound that feels less like a reflection of the present than a distant memory raw, earthy and archaic. Acoustic guitars, heavy percussion, exotic instruments and noisy soundscapes merge with the duo's distinctive alternating vocals to create a sound somewhere between ritual and apocalypse. Hypnotic rhythms drive the songs forward, while dark folk melodies drift through the arrangements like fog. Yet the music remains stripped-down and direct throughout: nothing feels excessive, and nothing is left to chance. Its intensity comes from repetition, atmosphere and the deliberate space between the notes. Since 2012, MARS have been a regular presence on the stages of the dark music scene. Appearances at festivals such as NCN Festival, Schwarzer Herbst and WGT in Leipzig, as well as performances alongside artists including King Dude, Of the Wand & the Moon and Rome, have firmly established the duo within the international underground. "The Scorpion" is the sound of a ritual for a world that has lost its balance.