Matt Heafy Rocks ‘Akumu’ With Behemoth’s Nergal, Reveals Ibaraki Album Details
Matt Heafy's long buzzed about Ibaraki project is finally coming to fruition, and along with full details concerning an upcoming album, we're also getting a brutal new collaboration between the Trivium vocalist and Behemoth's Nergal on the song "Akumu."
"'Akumu' translates to 'nightmare' — and with this piece, I encourage the listener to work to find their interpretations of what they feel from the lyrics, music and the haunting visuals of the music video," says Heafy. "I have always been fascinated by Sagazan's Transfiguration, and for years, I have wanted to pay homage to his works with a performance art piece; to finally be able to immerse myself in his style was an intense experience."
Indeed he has, with the song coming with a striking visual companion featuring cinematography from Bryce Hall and Jonpaul Douglass helping to fulfill his nod to performance artist Olivier de Sagazan.
As for his musical partner on this track, Heafy says, "Having Nergal guest in this Ihsahn co-written piece allowed me to combine many of my long-time influences; and when I presented with Nergal of the challenge of translating my lyrics into Polish, it brought the song to another level."
Get a closer look at the visual and lyrical interpretation of "Akumu" below. The song is available to pre-save along with the previously released "Tamashii No Houkai" as part of the pre-order for the new Ibaraki album, Rashomon, right here.
Ibarki Featuring Nergal, "Akumu" Lyrics
I push
On all fours, I push
I push
On all fours, I pushWhite porcelain beneath me - lubricated from the tears and the mucous and sweat, I push
Fog and rust and an infinite vastness: a vacuity of emptiness -
I am without controlTranslation:
On all fours, I am held in the ovular-womb
In this catatonic claustrophobia
In this catacomb - I am nude, shivering
My panic and insecurity on display to everything and nothing
I wither and grow smallTranslation:
Like an infant in a corner - I push
Veins make their way
To the outer-most-layer of my skin
Temperature rises
The salted-discharge bathes me, it keeps me un-cleanWhite porcelain beneath me - lubricated from the tears and the mucous and sweat, I push
Fog and rust and an infinite vastness: a vacuity of emptiness -
I am without controlScreaming without words - beyond all sound - birthed is meat and bone, soaked in the brine of darkened blood and filth
Excreted from the entrails are shapes and cuts not unlike the butchered-anatomy of cattle and swineWhite porcelain beneath me - lubricated from the tears and the mucous and sweat, I push
Fog and rust and an infinite vastness: a vacuity of emptiness -
I am without controlI am without control
Out-stretched, I push
Out-stretched, I cry
I push - I push
I die
Ibaraki, "Akumu" (Featuring Nergal)
As stated, with the new song comes full details of the upcoming Ibaraki album. The upcoming set has been titled Rashomon and it's on schedule for a May 6 street date via Nuclear Blast. "Akumu" is the second collaboration revealed so far on the album, with Ihsahn guesting on the previously released "Tamashii No Houkai." Fans can also look for My Chemical Romance's Gerard Way turning up on the track "Rōnin."
There are also physical pre-orders of Rashomon complete with bundle options available at this location. Check out the album artwork and track listing below.
Ibaraki, Rashomon Album Artwork + Track Listing
"Hakanaki Hitsuzen"
"Kagutsuchi"
"Ibaraki-Dōji"
"Jigoku Dayū"
"Tamashii No Houkai"
"Akumu" (Feat. Nergal)
"Komorebi"
"Rōnin" (Feat. Gerard Way)
"Susanoo No Mikoto" (Feat. Ihsahn)
"Kaizoku"