The omnipresence of death in the midst of blooming life and creativity is at the center of Seventh Storm. Being the timekeeper of Portugal's most important metal band Moonspell for almost 30 years, Mike Gaspar has finally settled on a new outlet with which to celebrate his love for heavy metal, his cultural heritage and his passion for untamed, feral music with roots reaching deep into the fabric of our world. Here we see a hungry band arise that has given their soul for their music. "I wanted to write an album about that fans from all cultures can say 'this is mine'," he says of the primary force behind writing "Maledictus". My dream essentially was to try and bring back a bit of that innocent nineties touch. And to mix traditional Portuguese music with metal." With influences ranging from Bathory via Samael, Tiamat, Paradise Lost, Fields of the Nephilim, Cradle of Filth and Dead Can Dance to even Van Halen or Mötley Crüe, Seventh Storm are only just embarking on a journey across the wild and wondrous waters of heavy metal history. And while not being a concept album, Maledictus is tied together by a strong sense of pain and anger, paired with a flickering hope of forgiveness for our lives