Formed in Yerevan, Armenia, in 2016, Ildaruni quickly established a potent and distinct identity. Their early work was a fusion of relentless, epic black metal and the ancient folk melodies of their heritage. This sound, which they defined as pagan black metal, was not a superficial aesthetic choice but the very core of their being.

Their 2018 demo, ‘Towards Subterranean Realms,’ and their critically acclaimed 2021 debut full-length, ‘Beyond Unseen Gateways,’ were conceptual deep dives into the history of the Urartian Kingdom, also known as the Kingdom of Van. The lyrics explored the kingdom’s spiritual mysteries and its historical struggles against the Assyrian Empire, creating a musical world that was both ferocious and deeply rooted in a specific cultural and historical context. The band’s sonic palette reflected this, incorporating traditional Armenian instruments such as the parkapzuk, a type of sheepskin bagpipe, to evoke the ancient past.

This era, however, came to a definitive close. The period following their debut was marked by a significant shift in personnel that heralded their new direction. In 2023, Artak Karapetyan (vocals, bass) and Mark Erskine (guitars), members since 2017, departed the band.

However, before this final split, the new album was recorded, featuring new vocalist Narek Avedyan performing alongside Erskine and Karapetyan. Following the album’s completion, Artur Arushanyan joined as the new guitarist, setting the stage for the band’s current incarnation.

The arrival of Avedyan is particularly telling. He is a respected figure in the Armenian scene, known for his work with the band Avarayr, a project deeply immersed in Armenian folk music and the works of the celebrated composer Komitas. One might assume that recruiting a vocalist with such a profound connection to folk traditions would lead to a doubling down on those elements.

Instead, Ildaruni has moved in the opposite direction, completely excising the folk instrumentation and historical Armenian themes that once defined them. This was not a change dictated by a new member’s background, but a premeditated artistic decision by the band’s core. It is a powerful statement: the abandonment of their past was a deliberate and focused choice, made with full awareness of what they were leaving behind in their pursuit of a new, more esoteric truth.

First Blood: The Ritual Begins

The first offerings from ‘Divinum Sanguinem’ serve as potent evidence of this transformation. The lead single, ‘Of Nomos and Flaming Flint Stone,’ is a majestic and formidable piece of atmospheric black metal. Described as “grandiose” and “elaborately and symphonically enhanced,” the track swirls with richly embellished fretwork and keyboard arrangements that create a sound both “gloriously delirious” and “venomous.”

The intricate guitar work is a standout, showcasing a level of technicality not always prevalent in the genre. While the rabid, snarling vocals are pure black metal vitriol, a captivating, almost flute-like guitar solo emerges, hinting at a pagan folk sensibility. Yet, it is re-contextualized, no longer an anchor to a specific tradition but an ethereal echo within a much darker, more expansive sonic temple.

The accompanying lyric video, crafted by Stefano Mastronicola, visually mirrors this mystical grandeur, guiding the viewer into the album’s arcane world, while the second single, ‘Forged with Glaive and Blood,’ deepened the mystery.

Its release was accompanied by the cryptic proclamation, “The countless blind behold the portals unfurl, bearing the mace of eons!” The track itself is an exercise in ferocious and transcendental atmosphere, building upon the immersive, towering soundscapes that characterize the band’s new direction.

The third single, ‘Zurvan Akrane,’ further solidifies the band’s rebirth. It is a display of immense instrumental prowess, delivered with what has been described as “deadly accuracy.” This track demonstrates that the stylistic shift is not a simplification but a refocusing of their considerable musical talents into a new, potent form of expression.

An Ancient and Foreign Pantheon

The thematic core of ‘Divinum Sanguinem’ is a deliberate turn away from Armenian history toward the esoteric philosophies of Hellenic and Persian antiquity. The album’s conceptual framework is rooted in the tradition of mystery religions, the secret cults of the Greco-Roman world that offered initiates personal salvation and a direct, experiential connection to the divine.

These cults centered on secret rites, the contemplation of sacred truths, and a sympathetic bond with a suffering and reborn deity, promising initiates happiness in this life and the next.

This new focus is immediately apparent in the album’s tracklist. The opening song, ‘Mithras Alone is My Wreath,’ invokes the Mithraic mysteries, a prominent cult within the Roman Empire that revered the god Mithras.

Central to Mithraic worship was the image of the tauroctony: Mithras slaying a sacred bull. This act was not one of simple violence but a complex symbol of creation and salvation, with the shedding of the bull’s blood believed to be the salutary event that brought forth life. This theme of salvation through sacrifice resonates powerfully with the album’s title, which translates from Latin as “Divine Blood.”

The album also delves into the fatalistic doctrines of Zurvanism with the track ‘Zurvan Akrane.’ A lesser-known branch of Zoroastrianism, Zurvanism posits Zurvan, or Infinite Time, as the primordial creator deity.

According to Zurvanite myth, Zurvan sacrificed for a thousand years to have an offspring, but a moment of doubt resulted in the birth of twins: the benevolent Ahura Mazda (Ormazd) and the malevolent Angra Mainyu (Ahriman). This cosmic dualism, born from a single, neutral entity, introduces a profound determinism that aligns with the often-pessimistic philosophical underpinnings of black metal.

The ultimate goal of the spiritual journey outlined in ‘Divinum Sanguinem’ is described in the band’s official statements with the obscure Greek term Apothanaitismos. While a more common word like apotheosis (deification) could have been used, the band’s choice is specific and meaningful. The term implies a form of immortalization or achievement of a divine nature.

This concept, which echoes Gnostic and Orphic beliefs about a divine spark trapped within the material world, suggests that the album’s narrative is one of liberation and restoration. The “nine ominous initiations” offered by the album are a pathway to reclaim a lost divinity.

The Unveiling of ‘Divinum Sanguinem’

When viewed as a whole, ‘Divinum Sanguinem’ presents itself as a complete and cohesive ritual. The nine tracks, from the Mithraic invocation of the opener to the climactic title track, are structured as the nine initiations promised to the listener.

The stunning cover artwork, created by Khaos Diktator Design, serves as the visual gateway to this ceremony, its intricate lines and arcane symbols preparing the mind for the journey within.

The album’s sound is given its final, formidable shape by producer Christoph Brandes, known for his work with German atmospheric black metal acts like Imperium Dekadenz. His mixing and mastering at Iguana Studio in Germany ensures a “polished yet intense listening experience,” sonically aligning Ildaruni with the European bands whose philosophical traditions they now explore. This is not an Armenian band playing with foreign ideas; this is a band that has fully assimilated a new identity, sonically and thematically.

The Blood of Rebirth

To abandon a well-received and deeply personal identity is a significant artistic risk. With ‘Divinum Sanguinem,’ Ildaruni has done more than evolve; they have undergone a complete metamorphosis. The album stands as a powerful statement of intent, a declaration of a new artistic and philosophical purpose forged in the crucible of ancient mysticism.

They have traded the specific histories of their homeland for the universal, esoteric questions of existence, death, and divinity. The “divine blood” of the title is not merely a thematic reference to ancient rites; it is a potent metaphor for the band’s own courageous and profound rebirth.

Ildaruni’s transition from the specific historical paganism of their homeland to the broader, more philosophical realm of Hellenic and Persian mysticism represents a significant artistic risk. How does such a profound evolution in a band’s thematic core affect your connection to their work, and what does it suggest about the relationship between music, identity, and mythology in the modern era?