Dutch doom metal veterans Celestial Season announce the third and final chapter of their »Mysterium« trilogy!

Dutch doom metal veterans Celestial Season have announced new full-length album »Mysterium III«, the third and final chapter of their »Mysterium« trilogy which will be released on December 1st, 2023 via Burning World Records.

The band comments: “Perhaps we have been a little more detached than you are used to – although we are also well known for an occasional long hiatus – but now we can proudly announce that our new full-length album »Mysterium III« will be released on December 1st 2023, the closing chapter of the »Mysterium« trilogy. It will be released on Burning World Records (Vinyl/CD/streaming).”

Celestial Season officially founded in 1991, but the original talks about forming a doom band proba-bly started around mid/late 1990. Inspired by the second wave of doom bands like Saint Vitus, Cathedral and Trouble, but also bands the like of The Sisters Of Mercy and Dead Can Dance.

Celestial Season released its debut album »Forever Scarlet Passion« in 1993, and then its acclaimed »Solar Lovers« second album in 1995. After substantial line up changes and genre flirtations, 25 years onwards to 2020, Celestial Season reformed in its ‘Doom Era’ set up, recording waht was set to be the tribute to the »Solar Lovers« release with a new album called »The Secret Teachings«.

The seeds of this new album had been growing for many years, and there where several reasons to complete the full cycle.

Photo by Esmée Bruins

A mix of the »Forever Scarlet Passion« line up and »Solar Lovers« line up re-grouped to create what we’re calling the ‘Doom Era’ line up; with Stefan Ruiters back on vocals, Lucas van Slegtenhorst on bass, Olly Smit and Pim van Zanen on guitars, Jason Köhnen on drums and Jiska Ter Bals back on violin. Elianne Anemaat on cello back on the line up after her taking part in the 2011 reunion.

Burning World Records released »Mysterium II« in December 2022, which is an addition to their mutual collaboration along with the previously re-released: »Forever Scarlet Passion« and »Solar Lovers« and the 2020 release of »The Secret Teachings«.

Celestial Season is:
Stefan Ruiters – Vocals
Olly Smit – Guitars
Pim van Zanen – Guitars
Lucas van Slegtenhorst – Bass
Jiska Ter Bals – Violins
Elianne Anemaat – Cello
Jason Köhnen – Drums/Various

Bojan Bidovc // music enthusiast, promoter, misanthrop and sometimes a journalist as well