We’ve updated our Terms of Use to reflect our new entity name and address. You can review the changes here.
We’ve updated our Terms of Use. You can review the changes here.

Vox Medusae

by Potmos Hetoimos

supported by
Nekobibu
Nekobibu thumbnail
Nekobibu I am amazed by the sheer creativity and intelligence behind this project. And I feel oh so small.
YomaBarr
YomaBarr thumbnail
YomaBarr That's what you call getting yourself a nice triptych for a lunch break 😆 The rest of the working day will be much easier now.
Jordan Vauvert
Jordan Vauvert thumbnail
Jordan Vauvert Les groupes qui ont brûlé toutes leurs cartouches sur des œuvres conceptuelles existent : Kalisia est resté au point mort depuis Cybion. Sortir un album après ce Béhémoth qu'était The Paragon Trisagion paraissait mission impossible. Et pourtant, Vox Medusae est non seulement excellent mais aussi innovant : le concept est unique et Potmos Hetoimos, en puisant dans le jazz, prend même une tournure avant-gardiste !
Matt est resté très discret depuis. J'espère vraiment qu'il ne s'arrêtera pas là ! Favorite track: IV, B. Perseus, Pyrrhic.
more... more...
/
  • Streaming + Download

    Includes high-quality download in MP3, FLAC and more. Paying supporters also get unlimited streaming via the free Bandcamp app.
    Purchasable with gift card

      name your price

     

  • Limited Edition CD – Matte Digipak
    Compact Disc (CD) + Digital Album

    Single gatefold matte digipak.

    If you order from outside the USA, please order through notmusiclabel.bandcamp.com for reduced shipping costs.

    Includes unlimited streaming of Vox Medusae via the free Bandcamp app, plus high-quality download in MP3, FLAC and more.

    Sold Out

1.
[M] Hear me speak, I call from the streets. In lonesome heat, I writhe in the sheets. With silver tongue and siren call, I beckon flesh become my thrall. [W] She was beautiful, once, When everything was. She has fallen away. The downward spiral. She was perfect, once, When everything was. She’s become something less. Unrecognizable. [A] The taste lingers forever. A day without her is a thousand. A singular drive to fill a singularity; The vacuum craves all and holds none. Collapse and consume; construct and confess. [W] A blasphemy of her former self. Twisted and contorted by shameless hands. Degraded and raped. I’ve got my finger on the pulse And beauty is dying. [A] Forget every face; They aren’t meant for memory. Grand deconstruction of glorious design.
2.
[K] Fantasy stares back from the void. Blur the line. When did I become...it’s too late. The window was always closed; Now I have opened the door. [L] Abandon! Strip down, show me your form. I watch the honey drip from your tongue, Feel the chilling caress of your fingers. Relent! Shake left, right, left, right, hip, side, hypnotize. I watch the milk heave on your chest. Mother of pantheons, giver of life. Demigoddess, give me your life. Acquiesce! Liquor flows between your thighs. Let me fall that I may rise. Feed my emptiness with emptiness, Starvation and nausea. [K] Dance, like you always have. Dance, my filthy darling. Dance, like a worthless princess. Dance, my precious whore. When did you begin...it’s too late. [R] Pitiful wretch! Close the curtain, lock the door. Pluck your eye, sever your hand. Bear not the curse of liberty. This is not what you are. THIS IS NOT WHAT YOU ARE. Pitiful wretch, so pitiful. Pitiful wretch, unpitiable. [K] When did you begin...it’s too late. I watch the wine fall from your face, Replacing crimson hue with pallor. This stillness is your true form. I’ve got my hands around her throat. This is the last night she’ll ever live.
3.
[M] Gaze deep, obsidian soul. Drain your sum, your parts, your whole. The heart’s abyss yet seeks your dive. Though I am death, I make you alive. [S] Faint flicker pierces glass, calls me beyond. Pale phantoms mimic life. An artifice of flesh and light. [P] Smoke and mirrors. [S] This smoke rises forever. I watch it in the reflector. My heart, excised, vein by vessel, Desiccated and displayed. This is what I choose. [A] What will a man do when the well runs dry? I have leapt to the bottom to dig. Dying of thirst, I seek water from a spring That has never once quenched. I am the definition of insanity. The void stares back at me. [P] Open up your eyes. The truth will not be far. Though your despairing tongue begs it depart. The fires of your eye reduce your mind to ash. The embers of a soul trapped inside the looking glass. Open up your eyes, wider than the sky. She shows you what you are. [S] Stay down, stay down! [P] Open up your eyes. [S] Get down, get down! [P] Wider than the sky. [S] Stay down, stay down… [P] Embers of a soul. [S] Get down, get down… [P] Inside the looking glass. [S] Slow down...slow down! [A] In the darkness, darkness I see; the darkness in me. In the darkness, nothing to see. The darkness is me.
4.
M̴͉̀i̷͕̅d̴̟̒x̶͖̓x̴͖̌x̷͙́x̷̫̒x̵̤́ ̵͙̇r̵͔̕ẍ̵̰x̸͇͒x̷͈́s̴̨̎ ̷̘͛t̴̩͑x̴̭͠ ̶̤̎ṭ̸̛ẁ̶̳x̸̳̆x̵̫̎x̴̪́x̶̼̌x̸̮̄x̴̜͛ ̴̈ͅx̸͕̏x̵͉̐x̷̠̓ ̴̨́ṣ̵̓x̵̼͊x̸͍̀x̵̩̋x̵͇̕ ̵͎̈Ĭ̶̝ ̸̯̌w̷̡̄x̸͖̓x̴̟̔x̴̢̆x̵͔̍x̷̺́ ̶̢͋s̷͕͆ț̴́x̵͙͝x̷̜̎x̸̝̐ ̴̦̏T̶͔̄x̵̬̔x̴̭́x̵̙͝x̷̫̏x̷̤́ẍ̸ͅ ̶̧̚d̸͔̉x̴̔ͅx̶̹̍x̶̘͘x̷͔͑ ̸̺̕x̶̱̂x̴̥͘x̸͓̓ ̴̦͌d̷̟͆x̷͉̀š̶̮x̶̻̿x̵͇̓x̸͓͗x̴̲̑x̸̞̏x̸̧̀x̶̝̂x̷͉͗x̸͑͜ț̷̏ ̴̩̀x̴̥̑x̸͓̔ ̸̱̀ṡ̴̱x̴̣͂x̸͎̋x̵̗̚-̸̮̊x̴͇̎ẍ̷̘́x̴̤͒x̷̡̍x̵͚̿ḧ̵̨́t̴͈̂ ̸̣̈́h̷̲̀x̶͙̃x̵̖̒ẋ̶̼x̷̡̌x̵̭͠ ̷͖͠p̵̗͐x̴̙͘x̷͔͛x̵̥͛x̵͔͝x̴̭̐x̶͙͆x̷̘͋x̴̣̕x̸̖̕ ̸̤̔E̸̦̋x̴̭͠x̸̱̆ẍ̴͖́x̴̫͐x̴̉͜x̵̭̾ǹ̷̜ ̴̝̔ÿ̸̝́x̷́͜x̶͖̐ẍ̷̥́x̶̹̑ ̶̞̀p̶̢͑x̶͔͘x̸͓̃x̵̗̎x̴͎̕x̶͖͑x̶̣̊ ̴̣̉t̵̞͗x̵̫́x̶̠̽x̸͈͋ ̸͚͝g̴̡̉x̵̘̔x̴̙̐x̶̖̓ ̴̙͆w̶͎̌x̷̠̐x̵̖͆x̶͖̐ ̷͍̔x̶̙͆x̶͎͑ ̷͈̊f̷̩͋x̵͖̒x̵̡̂x̵͙̍ẍ̶̨ẍ̶̭́x̵̖͘x̷̨͊ẍ̶̘́x̵̣͊ ̴̠͗U̷̪͑x̷̛̜x̶̹̌x̶͖̓x̴̘̏x̵͙͒ẍ̶̯ ̷̫͘x̴̢̊x̵̰̕ ̷̬̾x̷͉͑x̸̤̋x̸̛͍ ̷̡͗ḡ̷̝r̸̖̃x̴̥̍x̷̱̓x̷̻͂ ̸̠̏x̵̲̏ẍ̷̲́ ̵͇́x̵̹͂x̸̛̭ ̴̥͆o̷͉͐x̴̟̌x̴͉͒ ̵̛͔d̵͖̓x̷͔́x̶̧̓x̶̜̏x̶̦͋x̸̌ͅx̶̰̀x̸̘̓x̴̛̪x̴̟̊ẍ̵̣́,̸̢̃ ̶̂͜x̸̦́x̵̗̿ẍ̵̙́ ̶͉͗g̶̟͠r̸̹̎x̷̠̐x̸̫̅x̴̢͛ ̸̦̑x̴̯̎x̶̟͠ ̵̩̑x̶̤͝ ̸̥͆w̸̘̏x̶͚͑x̸̝̍x̸̝̚x̸̢͠ ̴̣̓w̴͓̒h̸͕͋x̵̱̎x̷͔͗x̷̳̾ ̷̙̀c̴̯͝x̷̘̕ẍ̸̥x̷̼̕x̵̘͛x̶̡̊x̴͍̉x̷̩̉x̴̃͜x̸̧͐s̴̳͠ ̶͉̐x̶̧̄x̷̙̉x̵͖̒ ̸͓͒f̷̠͠x̷͍͘x̴͚̀x̵͓͊x̵̺́x̸̦͝ ̴̮̊b̴͓̀x̸͙̓x̷̗̿x̶̟̑ ̵̰̈́W̴̰͝x̶͈́x̶͉̾ ̶͉̈s̵̍ͅx̶̝͗x̴̜̄ ̷̦͛d̴̢͝x̷͈͠x̵͖̋x̸͈̓x̵͙͝x̸̩́x̶̖̒?̶̦̀ ̸̥̽K̸̞͐ẍ̶̭x̸̜̃x̵̪̂ẋ̸̟x̸̽͜x̷͓͑x̶̲́x̷̓ͅ?̸̨̈́ ̸͙̕P̴͗͜x̴̨͗x̶̺̀x̸̜͌?̴̼̅ ̶͔͊B̷̛͔x̸̥̔x̵̝̌x̶̤̕x̷̛̺x̶͚̀?̴͍̋ ̸̺̏S̶͉̃x̶͚̃x̴̭̽x̷̟̋?̵̢͝ ̸̯͌F̸̢͘x̷̭͐x̷̳̕x̵̺̆ẍ̷̧́x̸̰̂?̶͕̓ ̸͊ͅ ̵͓́Ẍ̸̨x̶͇̌x̸̘̍ ̶̲̋w̶̧͌x̸͕͊x̴̺͠x̶͍̽ ̶̳̈́X̸͈̔'̶̦̉x̴̻͝x̸̘̅ ̵̹̐l̶͇̐x̸͙̆x̵̠̓x̸͚̓x̵̳̑d̶̬̿ ̸̬̏x̸̧̍x̶͚͋ ̵̼̕x̶͙̆ ̷͙̈́w̷̺͑x̷̹̑x̸̣̕x̶̟͝ẍ̸̢́ ̴͈̈́n̷̞̈́x̵̱͛ ̷͖͝ṃ̷̽x̵͎̎x̶̣͆ ̴͓͌s̸͖̾ĥ̴͓x̵̨͝x̷͇̍x̷̰̒x̴̥̄ ̶̗͝ḛ̵͑x̴̪͗x̷̫̕x̵̮̂ ̷̦̔k̷̭̇ṉ̴͝x̶̩͂x̴͉̕ ̸̦̒S̵̛̖l̸̘̃x̶̲̕ẍ̷͔́x̷͔̎ ̵̨͘ẍ̷͙́x̵̙̂x̴̣̑ ̶̺̔c̶̼̉x̵͕͒x̵̭͌x̷̜͒x̷̜̀x̴̖̍ ̴̞͊x̵͎̋x̸̜̆ ̷̌͜x̴͍̑x̴̼̋x̵̭͛ ̸̻̇w̸̥͛ẍ̸̮́x̶̻̎x̸̡̾x̴̳̃x̶̢̔ ̵̘̀f̸̛͍x̶̲̑x̸̰̾x̶̟͘x̵̰̆x̷̪͛x̴̥̍,̵̲̅ ̷̬̑ş̷̏x̸̹͆x̸̲͌x̶̙̂x̸̰̂ȳ̴̡ ̸̙̉f̸̳̐x̵̢͒x̶̩̏ẋ̶̞x̸̖̋x̴̦̉x̴̼̾ ̷̖̓W̸̗͘x̸̧͘x̸̠̍ ̸͍̿c̶̙͑x̵̢̊x̷͖̌ ̴͉͂ĕ̴̖x̶̨͆x̸̙̑x̵͎̓ẋ̸̣ ̶̜̕x̸͎̎x̸̛̬x̷̛̥ ̵̭̓r̶̛̜x̵̣͐x̶̗͐x̷̦́ ̸̨͝x̵̫̄ẍ̷͙́ ̷̠̽ṁ̵̨x̵̰͘ ̴̼̓ẻ̸̬x̶̟̊x̷̦̽x̵̨̄?̷̱̚ ̸͔̈S̸̰̈́x̷͎̆x̷̦̑x̴̹̿x̵̲̌ ̷͖̒ḛ̷̏x̵̹͠x̴̞͠ẍ̸͈x̷̮̕x̴̬̽x̸̯̎x̵̖͊x̸̮̆x̶̧̋ ̵̺̐x̵̠̚x̷͖͠x̸̱́ ̷̯͆f̸̢̈x̵̧̃x̶̬͝x̵͖̔x̵͕̓ ̴̗͌x̴̖̅ẍ̶͍ ̵̮́r̸̬̀x̶̩̿x̶̯̃x̴̞̑x̶͖̀x̵̬̏x̴̝̍ ̴̺͐f̵̪͌x̶̰̚x̷̣̃ ̸͚̚x̷̺̔ ̶̤̄b̴̢͝ẍ̴̢́x̴̙̽x̴̝̀x̸̦͗x̴̫͆x̷̬͐ ̵̞̓x̶̬̉x̷̙̊ ̶͍̅x̶̦̾x̶͇̎x̸̫̒ ̴̨́ğ̸̮x̴̨̌x̸͇̓x̴͈͐x̷̥̍ ̶̳͆W̴̞̆x̸͙̔x̶̫̀x̴͓̉x̴̙͋x̴̨̾x̶͔̓,̷̲͘ ̸͈̒p̴̙̈x̴̤̓x̷̲̽x̶̞͗x̶̭̀x̶̳͝x̷̰̾,̸̖̒ ̷̭͂w̶̗̓x̵̤͘x̸̛̲x̷̱̑x̴͉̉x̷̧͘ẋ̶̗,̴̭̕ ̸̡̓p̵͎̚x̸͕͗x̸͉͗x̸̡͝x̵͔͠x̷̩̂x̴̨͒,̶̢͌ ̶͇̀g̶̳͛x̶͖̔x̷̺͋x̴̫̓x̶̞͆x̴̛̻x̶̨̔,̵͓̇ ̸͙́b̵͖̈́ẋ̶̢x̴̤͗x̸͎̾x̴̚ͅx̷̪͒x̴̡̑ ̴͕͗ḟ̶̠x̸͍͐x̴̪̀ ̵͉͌Ÿ̸́ͅx̶̙͋x̴͛ͅx̷̣̊ ̷̦̚d̷̢̉x̸͓͝x̵̬̄x̶̙́ẍ̴̹́x̴̱͊x̶̜͋x̷̖̽x̷͓̄x̵̠̓x̷̦͘ ̶̲̅ P̶o̸r̶t̶r̸a̷i̶t̵ ̶p̵a̷i̸n̷t̸e̵d̷ ̴w̷i̸t̸h̸ ̷t̴h̴e̵ ̴b̶l̸o̵o̷d̶ ̶d̷r̵i̶p̷p̶i̷n̴g̶ ̶f̴r̶o̴m̶ ̸m̸y̴ ̴h̵a̴n̴d̷s̶,̸ ̶s̵u̵s̵p̵i̶a̸t̶e̸d̴ ̴w̴i̴t̸h̶ ̴r̵u̴s̴t̸ ̷i̴n̵ ̶t̸h̷e̸ ̴f̷r̸a̸m̶e̴ ̶B̸e̸a̶r̶ ̴m̵y̷ ̸h̴e̵a̸r̵t̸ ̷i̵n̴t̴o̵ ̸t̷h̴e̴ ̸a̵c̵h̴e̵ ̷o̶f̷ ̸t̶h̷e̶ ̴a̶f̸t̷e̵r̴m̶a̶t̷h̴ ̴t̸h̵a̸t̷ ̶m̸e̵l̵l̸i̵f̷l̵u̷a̷t̸e̶s̷ ̶l̶u̸s̷t̵ ̶i̶n̴t̷o̵ ̸s̴h̷a̵m̸e̶ ̴T̷i̵m̶e̴ ̸i̷s̴ ̵t̷h̴i̶r̸s̶t̶i̷n̵g̷ ̸f̷o̵r̶ ̶r̵e̷d̵e̸m̷p̶t̷i̷o̴n̷ ̷t̸h̴e̴s̶e̶ ̶f̵i̸n̸a̵l̴ ̶d̸a̶y̷s̶,̴ ̴p̵a̶l̴i̶n̷g̵e̴n̴e̶r̷a̸t̷e̸ ̷t̸r̷u̶s̴t̸ ̴i̷n̶ ̷Y̵o̶u̴r̵ ̶n̷a̶m̶e̷ ̷D̶r̸a̸w̷ ̸m̸e̶ ̸d̶e̷e̵p̸ ̵i̵n̸t̸o̶ ̷t̴h̴e̵ ̶l̷i̴g̷h̵t̸ ̶o̷f̵ ̶t̵h̸e̷ ̵m̵o̶r̵n̷i̷n̸g̸ ̵s̴t̵a̶r̸ ̸t̸h̸a̴t̵ ̷i̷n̴s̴u̸b̴l̶i̷m̵a̸t̸e̷s̷ ̶d̶u̷s̶t̷ ̸i̵n̸t̵o̴ ̷f̴l̸a̴m̴e̶
5.
[C] Fear not the gorgon’s lair! Riding righteous wings into the torrent. Desire abhorrent be your enemy. Cloaked in mystery beyond her sight. Take up arms and fight unto the end of the world. Blessed blade of holy virtue. She can’t hurt you if you look aside. Shield repelling her obscenity. Putting enmity between the scion and the snake. [R] Let the bruised heel crush her head! Tear out her forked tongue. Liberate the horse and boar. A crumbling empire, the ruins of ruinous lies. Drink deep this holy anger, Call down consuming fire. Summon this armageddon for your anathema. [W] Hope is not lost, not while she still draws breath. She is still beauty. Hand to the sky, I pray revival over her… Restoration for her. Burn away our false perceptions, Cauterize our ravenous eyes. Let her live again. She is still beautiful.
6.
[K] So the fingers point back. The reciprocal is infinite. This is what I have become. The armageddon. [M] Write my poems in your skin. Tear them out then start again. Countless tries to be renewed. Venom’s kiss your fate imbued. [K] Punch the number. Pull the trigger. The gavel and the axe will descend. Tear the leather From my fingers. A mask for crimes I cannot defend. I am the devil’s tools. I am the devil’s house. Begin the end. Dismantle/disassemble. I have seen what I am. There is nothing I resemble. [M] Would you play the hero’s role? Turn the sword and pierce your soul. I am not the source of sin. Seeds of hell sprout up within. [P] Sacred and profane out of the same mouth. Bitter water flowing from a sweet spring. Demons occupying this empty house. Blasphemy and blessing intertwining. [S] Gorge and purge. Binge and starve. Devour the other. Deride the beast. Gorge and purge. Binge and starve. Return to vomit. Renew the feast. To me...to me...open shame. To Thee...to Thee...mercy... Lord, open my eyes. I want to see You. Lord, tear out my eyes And take them with You.
7.
[L] Return! The touch of a ghost, deceived to feel. A hundred devils’ liturgy I sing. I lick the honey flung from your teeth. Strip down, show me your true form. A specter never seen. [M] I am a thousand cunning serpents With two thousand gleaming eyes. Run, run away. I am there. [R] Self-devourer, she slithers rings around you. She holds you tighter. Every ounce of strength is struggle. Exhausted fighter. [S] / [P] Close your sunken eyes. / Open up your eyes. Bury her deep inside. / Wider than the sky. Cloak her with false pride. / Dissipate the lie. Lie with her beside. / From the darkness rise. Someday she will hide. / Can’t you hear me cry? Someday when you die. / Can’t you see the light? [M] You have soaked me in. I am Bathsheba in the tub, And the water in the bath. I brought you inside. Run, run to me. I am here. I am what you have become. I am ten thousand raging serpents With a million blazing eyes. [A] The Möbius strip. The Lissajous curve. I walk the same road, over and over. I have been here before, and will come back again. I’ve created my own world without end. Amen. Walk the circle. The cycle. The circle. The endless cycle. The circle. The cycle. Eternal circle.
8.
And yet she dies.

about

The eleventh album from Potmos Hetoimos, Vox Medusae weaves a harrowingly vivid narrative dealing with pornography addiction. Theatrically dramatized yet deeply personal, the album conveys the internal psychological struggle associated with addiction by presenting the perspectives of nine voices:

[M]edusa, the temptress – an external(?) personification of the supreme object of lustful attraction and obsession
The [A]ddict – the true human struggling with his addiction
[L]ust – the addict's uninhibited obsessive desire
[S]hame – the addict's filthy guilt over his inability to control his thoughts and actions
[R]age – the addict's bitter anger at himself for constantly failing
The [K]iller – murderer of true Beauty by reducing women to objects
The [W]itness – impartial observer to the killer's deeds
The [P]rophet – a conscience speaking truth, warning and encouragement
The [C]onqueror – valiant would-be slayer of the Medusa

Musically, Vox Medusae expresses this tension by associating a different non-traditional scale with each voice. Potmos Hetoimos's signature progressive sludge is extended in both intensity and creativity, by incorporating the blackened hardcore influence of bands like Cult Leader and Plebeian Grandstand as well as the jazz and funk inspiration of artists like Prince and Kamasi Washington. The standard metal instrumentation is juxtaposed with piano and saxophone throughout the album, creating an unprecedented synthesis of styles.

Details about the non-traditional scales: canthisevenbecalledmusic.com/not-music-sludge-titan-potmos-hetoimos-premieres-new-song-goes-in-depth-on-songwriting-process/

credits

released September 12, 2018

Matt Matheson – vocals, guitars, bass, drums, synth, keyboard, piano, programming, etc.
***
Jane Vincent (Curse) – “Medusa” vocals [I, III, IVb, V]
Raleigh Booze (Usti Waya) – extra vocals
Daniel Wallace – saxophone [all tracks]
Charlie Eron (WAIT, Svengahli) – guitar solo [IVb]
***
Recorded by Matt Matheson and Ben Rosenbach
Drums recorded at Audio Arts Fishtown, Philadelphia PA (circleofhopeaudioart.bandcamp.com)
Mixed and mastered by Angel Marcloid
Cover art by Alex Eckman-Lawn
***
Released on Not Music (ctebcm.com/not-music) NOT-001

license

tags

about

Potmos Hetoimos Baltimore, Maryland

PH is a (mostly) one-man prog/doom/jazz/ sludge/post-metal project from Baltimore, Maryland. PH focuses on music as storytelling, with the lyrics and concept being integral to the compositions.

contact / help

Contact Potmos Hetoimos

Streaming and
Download help

Redeem code

Report this album or account

Potmos Hetoimos recommends:

If you like Potmos Hetoimos, you may also like: