Astralis by Azell

Astralis is a crushing doom-sludge concept album that tells the story of two astronauts, Amanda and Kurt, who witness the destruction of Earth by a solar flare. But the catastrophe is only the beginning. The flare awakens an ancient, Lovecraftian entity buried deep within the planet's core, unleashing it into the cosmos.

From the moment of Earth's demise, the album follows Amanda and Kurt through a journey of terror, isolation, and unraveling sanity. After surviving the initial attack, they are propelled into the distant Andromeda Galaxy, where they discover a mysterious replica of Earth. As they explore this false world, they begin to uncover disturbing truths about their existence, their memories, and the nature of the universe itself.

The album is heavily inspired by early 20th-century pulp science fiction and comes with a companion novella that expands on the narrative. Each track serves as a chapter in an accompanying novella, expanding the lore and emotional gravity of the story.

Sonically, Astralis draws from the raw intensity of bands like Conan, Bongripper, and Primitive Man. The songs are built around drop-F tunings and massive, caveman-style riffs that overwhelm the senses. The result is a deeply atmospheric, suffocating sound that mirrors the album’s cosmic dread and psychological descent.