"All fled - all done, so lift me on the pyre; The feast is over, and the lamps expire." - the suicide note of Robert E. Howard, 1936
It is over. The entity Averse Sefira has fractured back into its earthly parts, never to take wing again. This was long in the making, and I did not want to believe we were truly finished despite the evidence before us. The split is amicable but lamentable to say the least.
The simplest explanation is that our collaboration no longer had the momentum required to create something that would have the grandeur and conviction of our most recent work. It would be a terrible mistake to force the issue in the name of pleasing others. This was never our mission. In many cases, it was quite the opposite.
There are inevitable questions that will come with this news. First and foremost, Sanguine and I agreed at inception that the band must always have the both of us or else stop altogether. We chose to end it the way it began, in unison.
Second, it's no secret that our drummer and I have a newer and very promising band running, but this endeavor had nothing to do with ending Averse Sefira. In fact, the pending demise of AVRS is what gave birth to the latter act.
Third, there will be no equivalent entry in any other form. This band was our monument to black metal, and it would be an insulting afterthought to create a similar version simply to take up space.
I am sad to finally say goodbye to a creation that catapulted us across the globe and earned us so many peers and friends, all of whom encouraged me to keep the spirit alive and rise again with another release. Averse Sefira officially turned 16 years old this month, as it was in the Spring of 1996 when Sanguine and I began mapping our musical destiny over a table cut from the heart of an ancient tree.
It is validating to look back on our career and feel few regrets. For my part, I accomplished everything I ever wanted. We played with incredible bands and collaborated with equally incredible artists and executors. We saw the world and put our name in the metal history book. The entry could be larger in terms of timeline, but the content is sufficiently dense and noteworthy.
There is a staggering list of people and entities to whom we owe thanks, and to even attempt to list them all would be impossible. In lieu of that, I would like to offer special acknowledgment to Jos A. Smith, Tyler of AJNA, Valnoir Metastazis, Mathias Wahl, Imperial of Krieg, Immolation, Watain, Secrets of the Moon, Antaeus, Demilich, 1349, Marduk, and Tom G. Warrior. You were all brilliant hues in our tapestry. Thank you for your friendship, your support, and your inspiration. We cannot ever truly repay you.
Moreover, thank you to every last one of you who bought our albums and bore our sigil, be it on fabric or flesh. Thank you for not forgetting us, even when we went quiet and offered little incentive to retain your attention. One thing I never expected was to ever be part of anyone's favorite band, and by all accounts it happened countless times. This is a reward beyond all measure, and it made even the most difficult moments worth the effort.
It is a shame that there will be no farewell shows or any other formal commemoration before we depart. If we had that in us, then we'd just keep going. It is not meant to happen. I cannot say that we are truly dead forever, because it is impossible to know what the future holds. In the meantime, don't waste too much headspace wondering about it; we're not coming back anytime soon.
And last, but not least, keep checking our pages from time to time. While my entries have been sporadic here, I still plan to add a few pieces of ephemera now and again. Also, a re-edition or the like could spring up, though we'll make sure you hear about it one way or another.
Averse Sefira was formed by will, thrall to no sovereign, and so shall it ever be. It continues to fly on tattered wings, though it is now part of the ages and leaves me, Sanguine Mapsama, and The Carcass behind. We were but its humble vessels in the end.
The names are writ, the stars are gone.
Again, we thank you. Goodbye.
Wrath Sathariel Diabolus, Angel of Absolutes, on behalf of Averse Sefira
April, 18, 2012
