ANAGNORISIS’ fourth album, Caregriever, is streaming in full exclusively through Decibel Magazine ahead of its October 23 release. The premiere presents the Louisville, Kentucky black metal band’s return after a decade-long absence, alongside an album built from frontman Zachary Kerr’s experience of caring for his now-late father-in-law.
According to the announcement supplied by Earsplit PR, Kerr began writing the material in 2023 as a solo project under the name Caregriever. It gave him an outlet for the physical and emotional exhaustion of full-time caregiving. Reconnecting with longtime creative partner and ANAGNORISIS guitarist Zak Denham expanded the project into the foundation of the band’s next full-length.
The pair subsequently shared the material with bassist Josh Mumford and drummer Cody McCoy, bringing the core lineup back together. Recording began in the summer of 2024, as ANAGNORISIS resumed work behind the scenes following their extended hiatus.
The album follows the gradual decline and eventual death of a loved one over five years. Its focus includes the mourning that begins before death, the demands of prolonged responsibility and the aftermath of loss. Grief, anger, guilt, depression, isolation and exhaustion form part of that subject matter, along with the coexistence of devotion and resentment, hope and despair.
The press announcement describes a corresponding change in the band’s musical approach. Caregriever continues their exploration of post-black metal while reducing the symphonic scope of earlier releases. Industrial and punk elements are incorporated into material described as darker, more focused and more immediate. These descriptions accompany the release rather than serving as an independent listening assessment.
Decibel’s full-album premiere follows an interview with ANAGNORISIS in the magazine’s November issue. In the premiere commentary quoted by Earsplit PR, Decibel writes, “This is gripping music that matters.” The publication’s assessment also singles out the recording techniques, riffing, vocals and post-production approaches.
Denham and Kerr produced and recorded Caregriever, with drums and bass recorded at Top Track Studios. Denham also mixed and mastered the album. Mumford contributed backing vocals, Niels Riethorst supplied vocals and lyrics for “Death Of Man,” and James E. Kerr contributed samples. The announcement credits August Friedrich Schenck and Charles Maurand for the cover art.
Originally active from 2003 to 2016, ANAGNORISIS released their second and third full-length albums, Beyond All Light and Peripeteia, in 2013 and 2016 respectively. The band entered hiatus after a limited run of dates supporting Peripeteia and the departure of longtime keyboardist Sam Hartman. Their earlier work addressed childhood trauma, depression and self-reflection, providing background for the personal subject matter of Caregriever.
The October 23 release is divided across several physical editions: Bölverk Collective is handling the US CD, the band’s Negative Reflections is handling the US LP, Vendetta Records is issuing CD and LP editions in Europe, and So Below Productions is releasing the cassette. Preorders, bundles and digital presaves are available through the band’s supplied link hub. Photography accompanying the announcement is credited to Matt Simpson Photography.
