Horror Vacui is the fourth album by Sick N’ Beautiful, set for release on April 18th, via BLKIIBLK, the newly launched heavy music imprint of Frontiers Label Group. The first single and accompanying video, ‘Haunted’, are out now, offering a taste of what to expect with this new record.
The album title is derived from an ancient Latin expression meaning “fear of emptiness”, that’s said to represent this new cycle for the band. The music and lyrics delve even deeper into themes of horror, dystopian sci-fi, and the supernatural – subjects the band has always been enamoured with.
Written and produced by the band’s bass player, Big Daddy Ray, at Kinorama Studios in Rome, Italy, the album concept took shape during tours in the UK and Europe alongside Wednesday 13 and Cradle Of Filth in 2023 and 2024.
The band stated: “By getting so close to the fans all over Europe, we really got a feel for what excites the audience. Horror Vacui is an album meant to be played live: insane drumming, epic and anthemic choruses, face-melting solos – but also a lot of things we’ve never done before, with plenty of surprises! It’s our heaviest album yet – raw and unrelenting!
“The album’s first single, ‘Haunted’, sets the tone for this eerie, dark aesthetic journey. A hypnotic blend of crushing riffs and haunting melodies, the track tells a ghostly tale of obsession and the inescapable grip of the past. With its cinematic atmosphere and explosive chorus, ‘Haunted’ is both a love letter to the supernatural and a powerful anthem for anyone who’s ever felt trapped by their own demons”, they added.
Established in 2014, their music has evolved into a unique blend of hard rock and modern metal infused with industrial and punk overtones, along with generous doses of sci-fi, horror, and occult influences for good measure.
Led by Herma Sick, they assault the senses with a spectacular production filled with visual extravagance, all set against a musical backdrop that resonates with fans of heavier rock, reminiscent of Rob Zombie, Kiss, Rammstein, Lacuna Coil, Marilyn Manson, In This Moment, Alice Cooper, and Nine Inch Nails.
Currently headquartered in Rome, Italy, Sick N’ Beautiful present an explosive show, featuring songs from their albums Hell Over Hell (2015), Element Of Sex (2018), and Starstruck (2022).
Sick N’ Beautiful tours extensively throughout Europe and has performed standout shows on legendary stages such as Wacken and Lucca Comicon. Their eclectic, cinematic videos have garnered hundreds of thousands of views on YouTube.
You can check out the video for, ‘Haunted’ here at RAMzine.
In their own cryptic words: “This is the ship of Satan in Space. We have found kinship with the Different, the Strange, The Outcast: over the years, alongside our fans, we’ve laid the foundations of a hidden tribe where the power of music is wielded as a weapon against the oppressors of all things alien. In fact, an unseen war is now underway… So, the question for you is: on which side will you stand?”
Tracks featured on Horror Vacui are: ‘(Human Is) Overrated’, ‘My Wounds’, ‘Death Police’, ‘Haunted’, ‘Hate Manifesto’, ‘Septem Maleficas’, ‘Raise The Dragon’, ‘Railride’, ‘God Save The Bride’, ‘The Rat King’ and ‘Diggity Dig Dig’ – It can be ordered here.
