From the brain of Egyptian-born, New York-based conceptual artist Nader Sadek comes In the Flesh, a new album that centers on the notion of humanity’s relationship with petroleum and how this exhumation of ancient life forms serves as a self-destructive fuel to society’s greed (a subject that’s near and dear to my heart).

You might already know Sadek from his “impressively twisted” sculptures, masks, and installations for the likes of Mayhem and Sunn O))). In The Flesh marks his recorded debut and sees him collaborating with some of extreme music’s most talented artists: Steve Tucker (vocals, ex-Morbid Angel), Flo Mounier (drums, Cryptopsy), and Rune Eriksen (guitars, Mayhem). The album also features guest appearances by Attila Csihar (Mayhem, Sunn O)))), Travis Ryan (Cattle Decapitation), Tony Norman (Monstrosity, Terrorizer), Mike Lerner (Behold… The Arctopus), Descructhor (Morbid Angel), and Nick McMaster (Krallice).

In The Flesh sounds a lot like what you’d expect given the cast of characters involved: its constant and deliberately plodding elephants-marching riffs and slow blasts recall Morbid Angel and old Cryptopsy in a big way, drizzled with frosty, cold black metal oil.

Stream “Petrophilia,” (music: Rune Eriksen and Nader Sadek, lyrics: Steve Tucker) below. Watch the video for “Nigredo in Necromance” here. In The Flesh comes out May 17th via Season of Mist.

-VN