ALTERSOUL’s new video for “End of Days,” premiering through Metal-Rules, accompanies a new recording of the first song guitarist and vocalist James Close wrote for Ominous Eclipse. The track previews Origins, the Brockville, Ontario quartet’s debut EP, due November 27, 2026, with a pre-save supplied through Bandcamp.
Originally the title track of Ominous Eclipse’s debut album, “End of Days” has been rebuilt with modern production, live drums and expanded orchestral arrangements. It follows the previously released first single “Abandoned,” which also appears on Origins.
Close recalls composing the song as a teenager, using Graham Murphy’s unattended computer while Murphy went to play pickup hockey with Ryan. Most of the composition reportedly took little more than an hour. Close jokingly named the file “Song JD wrote in an hour that’s better than anything Graham’s written in his life.”
“Considering this track became the title track of our debut album, I think the title was justified. It was written in a stream-of-consciousness style in a moment of heavy inspiration, and I feel the new recording of it is true to that emotion,” Close says.
Origins revisits three early compositions by the band’s principal songwriters and late bassist Ryan Clements. His death in 2024 shaped the transition from Ominous Eclipse to ALTERSOUL, and the EP pays tribute to their friendship and shared creative work. Close and fellow guitarist and vocalist Murphy formed ALTERSOUL after more than a decade performing as Ominous Eclipse, continuing that history under a new name and artistic vision.
The band self-produced the EP, handling recording, editing, mixing, mastering, orchestral arrangements, artwork and video production. Original Ominous Eclipse drummer Andrew Poskus performs on the recording; despite his involvement with the band dating back more than a decade, Origins marks the first official release featuring his performance.
The EP lineup comprises Murphy on guitar and vocals, Close on guitar, vocals and additional instruments, Evan Ferguson on bass, and Poskus on drums. Guest musicians Wenhao Zhou and Heather Istead contribute piano and oboe, respectively. The live quartet features Murphy, Close and Ferguson alongside drummer Theo Konrad.
ALTERSOUL combines death metal, progressive metal, black metal and thrash with orchestral arrangements and cinematic atmosphere. The announcement recommends Origins to listeners of Death, Revocation, Gojira, Children of Bodom and Opeth.
- Abandoned — 5:20
- End of Days — 4:09
- Beyond the Apocalypse — 5:14
The EP runs 14:43.
