Louisiana experimental doom metal duo Radiant Knife premieres »Disciple Of The Astral Plane« video; »Sankalpa« LP to see release on November 13th!

Lafayette, Louisiana based experimental doom metal duo Radiant Knife premieres new single and visualizer video »Disciple Of The Astral Plane« taken from their sixth full-length album, »Sankalpa«, set to release on November 13th, 2026.

Tracklist:
01. Amber Waves
02. Crystal Oscillation
03. Disciple Of The Astral Plane
04. Down On The River Bank
05. Sankalpa
06. Consciousness As The Foundation Of Reality
07. Bewailer
08. Through The Heliopause
09. Bones
10. On The Mend

Courtesy of Earsplit PR:

»Disciple Of The Astral Plane« is the new video from Louisiana experimental doom metal duo, Radiant Knife. Now playing at Everything Is Noise, the track comes off the band’s sixth full-length, »Sankalpa«, set for independent release on November 13th.

Comments the band, “»Disciple Of The Astral Plane« explores the roots of human consciousness, and our connection to each other and the not so apparent universe. Driving transcendental riffs, floating vocals and subtle synth overlays eventually culminate into anthemic dueling guitars guiding you off the edge of the astral plane.”

Adds Everything Is Noise, “… some of the most ethereal stuff I’ve heard from Radiant Knife so far, and fittingly so. Comfortably breaking the five-minute mark, it constructs serene melodies, bold leads, and uses awesome vocals to speak to the soul. I love the soaring solo near the end too, more subtle than you might expect, but still a standout. The video, thankfully, doesn’t seem to have a lick of AI in it which is great for a song about exploring the deepest depths of the human mind and our innate connection to each other and the space around us, maybe even some realms beyond if the right glands are decalcified right…”

Photo by Greg Travasos

Read more and watch Radiant Knife’s »Disciple Of The Astral Plane« video HERE.

»Sankalpa« features artwork by Terry Grow and was recorded, mixed, and mastered by Stephen Sheppert at Starless Sound. The record will be released digitally across all streaming platforms.

Find preorders at the Radiant Knife Bandcamp page HERE where the title track can be streamed.

Southern Louisiana is perhaps best known in the metal community for birthing notorious sludge bands such as EyeHateGod, Crowbar, and Acid Bath. However, if you dive deeper into Louisiana’s metal lineage and take a trip further into Cajun country, you’ll find a diverse array of experimental metal dating back nearly 40 years.

Radiant Knife – Stephen Sheppert (guitars, synth, vocals) and Greg Travasos (drums) – spawned from that very lineage as a sci-fi-influenced experimental metal duo, taking cues from the mid-‘90s sonic explosion from Relapse, Hydrahead, and Amphetamine Reptile Records that changed underground metal forever.

»Sankalpa« serves as the duo’s follow-up to 2023’s »Pressure« release which The Sleeping Shaman crowned, “a genuinely diverse and engaging piece of work,” Mystification Zine named, “a face-clawing riff ‘n’ rhythm record,” and Metal Injection championed for being, “synthy, doomy, and experimental.”

Though not a complete departure from the gritty, off-timed approach of »Pressure«, »Sankalpa« – defined as a heartfelt, focused intention or solemn vow – takes a more refined, groove laden approach with a focus on melody, layering and texture. Replete with dueling guitar overlays, atmospheric synth textures, floating vocals, and dense rhythm guitars, »Sankalpa« sits somewhere in the realm of releases from the likes of Hum, Elder, and Russian Circles, while still harkening to key influences such as Dazzling Killmen, King Crimson, and ‘90s-era experimental metal.

Radiant Knife is:
Stephen Sheppert – Guitars, Synth, Vocals
Greg Travasos – Drums

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