Photo by Sara Gewalt

Death. Darkness. Chaos. As Morticia Addams would say, they’re not just pretty words. Now on their third LP, those three elements are still the enduring forces that inspire Swedish death metal conjurers Degial. Over the past eleven years, Degial have engraved their logo in death metal’s leathery wings with blackened riffs that stab and keep stabbing. You can turn to the proud history of late ’80s death metal for elements of Degial’s approach. Morbid Angel’s twisted axe-work. Necrovore’s pitch-black propulsion. But Degial’s sound is as severe as a last breath, as dark as the inside of a closed casket. As Degial state loudly, they represent Death with a capital fucking D. In the exclusive track premiere below, “Crown of Fire” illuminates their intent with red-hot riffage and vocalist/guitarist H. Death’s possessed snarls.

Scroll down for Degial’s explanation of the track’s incendiary themes and how the band’s views have strengthened over time. But first, press play and set your skull ablaze with “Crown of Fire,” ahead of Predator Reign‘s release from Sepulchral Voice Records on November 24th.

What’s the lyrical theme of “Crown of Fire,” and of the Predator Reign record as a whole?

D: All our lyrics are a hymn to the dark Gods, a tribute to the great Death, and the world far beyond this one. It’s about rebellion against this world, and this society that we are chained to. “Crown of Fire” is about when the chains are finally broken, and the predator within is released to reign.

You’ve talked in the past about how Degial’s music embodies Death, Darkness, and Chaos. Has your view of those themes changed over the past 11 years?

D: No, I wouldn’t say that our views have changed, they have only grown stronger. It’s a lifelong fascination and it has been with us since a very young age. It’s one of the biggest reasons our paths crossed in the first place. And those three elements are what Death Metal is all about.

After Savage Mutiny, were there any adjustments to your sound or approach you wanted to make on Predator Reign?

D: The most important thing for us when we make a new album is to not repeat ourselves, and to develop and make a stronger opus than the previous releases. We never discuss in which direction we should go when we write, that is something that develops during the process. I think the only thing we decided before/during the writing process was that we wanted to have a stronger and more powerful production than before.

Do you have plans to support this album with live performances in 2017 and beyond?

D: We are booking tours and gigs at the moment; I guess we won’t be doing many live shows in 2017, but we will do a lot of touring during 2018/2019.

Pre-order Predator Reign from Sepulchral Voice Records HERE

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