VELNIAS

Velnias biography
Based in Nederland, Colorado, Velnias are a North American atmospheric black metal group, signed to Eisenwald Records and named after the Baltic god of the underworld. A self-described progressive post-metal band performing "Oppressive Rocky-Mountain Dirge", Velnias were formed in 2006 by Chicago transplants Petras Vaznelis (guitars/vocals) and Andrew Scherer (drums; of I Shalt Become and one-time collaborator with Locrian). Velnias' style combines black and doom metal, neofolk and post-rock to craft long, complex songs informed by Agalloch, Wolves in the Throne Room, Enslaved and Opeth.

Vaznelis and Scherer are the core of Velnias around which a host of guest musicians come and go. The two self-released the Pacing the Cyclic Nether demo in 2007, and added Ævangelist member Valerie Dorr as bassist for their 2008 full-length Sovereign Nocturnal. After a split and a couple EPs, Velnias released their sophomore LP, RuneEater, in 2012, recorded with the assistance of guitarist Paul Riedl and bassist Jeff Barrett, both of Spectral Voice and Blood Incantation. RuneEater saw the meticulous band growing and tightening their sound, moving beyond their influences to embrace their idiosyncrasies, demonstrated even further on the twelve-minute 2016 single Absolution (this time featuring Blood Incantation drummer Isaac Faulk as additional guitarist). Velnias' matured style reached its height on 2020's Scion of Aether album and its 2023 follow-up EP, Rending of Dyadic Convolution, recorded as a quartet with bassist Adam Watts and guitarist Dana Johnson.

Velnias will no doubt appeal to fans of Fen, Skagos, Negură Bunget, the Flight of Sleipnir, Drudkh and Panopticon.

(Bio provided by Gordy)