The CD comes as Collectors Edition in 4-panel Digipack, incl. 12-page booklet, limited to 500 copies.
Gateway to Selfdestruction is an Atmospheric Black Metal band from Germany, formed in 2013. Their debut album „Death, My Salvation“, released by Northern Silence in 2016, marked the beginning of the band’s musical output. At the time they had already been active on the live front for quite a while, captivating the audience with their sorrowful and haunting creations. The style was very much influenced by Katatonia’s “Brave Murder Day”, so signing the band was a foregone conclusion when the individual behind Northern Silence witnessed one of their fantastic live performances for the first time.
In November 2019 the band entered the studio to record their second album, entitled „Sanctus : Mater : Scortum“. It was once again produced by Patrick W. Engel at Temple Of Disharmony and will be released on CD and digitally on February 21st.
The concept behind the album delves into the power struggle between the child and the motherly, pathologic presence of a woman suffering from mental illness, whose self-destructive behavior is expressed through child abuse, perversions and prostitution in both obvious and hidden ways. The conceptual layout of the CD shows her pathology and the different roles she is driven to play in her life – the loving mother to the casual observer, the whore in secret, the Madonna as the highest aspiration which she struggles to reclaim.
Musically, Gateway to Selfdestruction went from the Depressive Black Metal with atmospheric Doom influences of earlier days to a more Progressive Extreme Metal sound with extensive use of clean guitars, guitar solos, different vocal styles, clean vocals, choirs and extreme screams. Influences range from old Katatonia to more contemporary acts such as Shining, Woods of Desolation, Ghost Brigade and Antimatter.
Release date: February 21st, 2020
Reviews:
"This album knows how it wants you to feel, and artfully it takes you to the place it intends. The melodic, symphonic parts are top notch. Mara, GATEWAY TO SELFDESTRUCTION’s leading lady is amazing in how strong her vocals are. She has ranges from clean and lovely vocals, to harsh and full of angst. The band as a whole seems very well put together as well as on a path to being well-liked by many. This album, “Sanctus Mater Scortum”, is definitely worth listening to."
http://www.metal-temple.com/site/catalogues/entry/reviews/cd_3/g_2/gateway-to-selfdestructi_2.htm - 9.5/10
"GTS erzeugen auf "Sanctus : Mater : Scortum" eine unglaubliche Klangdichte und verknüpfen dabei die musikalische und lyrische Seite perfekt. Flirrende Gitarren gibt es hier genauso wie sägende Riffs, einen Bass, der hörbar, aber dezent ist, um die Kälte in der Musik nicht zu erwärmen, und auf der anderen Seite gibt es auch monotone Momente, genauso wie feine traurige Melodien. [...]
Fazit: "Sanctus : Mater : Scortum" ist ein ausgeklügeltes Black Metal-Album, welches verschiedene Stilrichtungen miteinander verbindet und eine Geschichte erzählt, welche sich hinter jeder Tür in unserer Nachbarschaft abspielen könnte. Facettenreiche, ausdrucksstarke und emotionale Musik mit hoher Klangdichte. Eine knappe Stunde feinster deutscher Black Metal, der berührt und mitreißt! Gateway To Selfdestruction haben sich mit ihrem zweiten Album schon jetzt ein Denkmal gesetzt, aber auch eines erschaffen, an dem sie sich in Zukunft messen lassen müssen." - 10/10
https://www.metal-only.de/info-center/reviews/show/133574-gateway-to-selfdestruction-sanctus-mater-scortum.html
