ALTARS
Enigmatic Australian Death Metal entity ALTARS rose sharply to prominence with the release of their 2013 debut ‘Paramnesia’ (Nuclear Winter Records/Blood Harvest). The record quickly drew widespread acclaim for the band’s dynamic, forward thinking compositions — hearkening to the genre’s forebears whilst carving a niche all their own. After a premature halt, in part due to a debilitating illness affecting co-founding member Cale Schmidt (vocals and bass, see also Monomakh), ALTARS entered a long period of dormancy. Guitarist Lewis Fischer joined the ranks of Melbourne outfit Ignivomous, while drummer Alan Cadman entered the fold of Adelaide’s occult StarGazer. All the while, ‘Paramnesia’ continued to gain status as a cult classic and glimpse of the band’s true potential. After eight years of silence, 2021 saw a revived ALTARS announce its resurrection with the promise of a new full-length album, and then the recruitment of Brendan Sloan (Convulsing) to fill the void on bass and vocals — cementing the band as a force to be reckoned with once more.