As I started creating this album it was not under the name Shroud of Despondency. I had planned on ending Shroud of Despondency, as the "Family Tomb" album announced, but because of some issues with the Gust moniker Ron and I eventually just decided it was the best move to call this a Shroud of Despondency album. Plus, anyone I know who has any courage told me numerous times that I was foolish for giving up on something I had worked so hard over the years to build up. This is a relevant introduction because the album does have some differences from the last 5 years of albums I've been creating and there are some ideas that I do not feel I will be revisiting much in the future. This album, despite existing as a reminder of why the creative process behind Shroud albums is so important to my sanity, also exists as a failed experiment in some ways. There are two main reasons behind the flaws I find on this album. One is the fact that the piano is still relatively a new instrument to me. I've been teaching myself and I still greatly prefer the guitar. The other is that I wanted to have a lot of samples. Tonally some of the samples do not work but they all made sense conceptually and once something makes sense conceptually I have a hard time editing it out. Another thing is the use of Daniel Day Lewis samples gets a little fucking out of hand, but again, it makes too much sense and I ultimately want to create something relatively unique, even if I swing and miss. Also, due to the way I cut the tracks that bleed into each other, the best way to hear the album is all the way through(on headphones) but bandcamp isn't necessarily the best way to do that. All that being said, this does represent a creative endeavor that lasted all of 2015 and it reached its' conclusion(I got tired of working on it) around December. Christmas seemed, symbolically, too perfect.

A note on the artwork, lyrics, and samples: Despite the imagery, outside of and within the lyrics, I have nothing but contempt in my heart for those who underestimate the importance of women in our society. That statement exists completely outside any sexual connotation. However, this is still a metal album and shying away from brutality is not something I feel appropriate for such a creative avenue. I tried to be relatively tasteful with the lyrics but, in this instance, not the artwork. Most, I suspect, will do as I do and have a good chuckle. Not a chuckle that advocates rape, molestation, abortion, castration, and enslavement to religious ideals that bring about conditions that promote such activities. A chuckle designed to relieve tension, because this is the fucked up planet we live on and suicide is not a valid option.

No formal promotion for this album has been planned. I am trying to keep it as close to free as possible. Feel free to torrent it. If you wish to review or interview, please feel free to email Frippisgod@gmail.com