Semper Acerbus has officially raised the stakes in the modern metalcore landscape with their latest single, “Omina Sequi.” The track is a high-octane collaboration featuring Jesse Leach, the Grammy-nominated vocalist of Killswitch Engage. This release serves as a definitive statement from the Del Rio, Texas, five-piece, blending their signature “megaton powerhouse” sound with the soaring, emotive delivery that Leach has championed for decades. Vocalist Nelson Acerbus describes the track as a visionary anthem regarding the pursuit of one’s purpose. The lyrics urge listeners to “breach the surface” and “entrust these omens,” casting aside the hesitation that often plagues the human spirit. It is a song about going “full out” on your dreams and recognizing the signals the universe provides. Produced, mixed, and mastered by Chris Mora (Upon a Burning Body, Kingdom Collapse) at Warhorse Recordings, the single captures a sonic “explosion of heaviness”.
Semper Acerbus are a blazing hot metalcore band from the heart of Del Rio, Texas. Armed with blistering growl vocals flavored with sparks and starts of traditional singing both modern and medieval, a scalding guitar duo, and a massive rhythm section patterned like an emotional schematic gone nuclear, this project brings us to the brink of poison and pain like exotic plague doctors bursting from the shadows and forging a path for us into the light. Semper Acerbus are Nelson Acerbus on vocals, Jaime Vargas on guitar, Joe Dragich on guitar, Sammy Farhat on bass, and Tyler Thomas on drums, all familiar with each other from past projects and gathered together in December of 2016 by Nelson to create this heavy, megaton powerhouse of a band that hits us straight in the heart and the backbone.
In terms of big gigs and festivals, Semper Acerbus are experienced, full throttle and battle-tested, playing The Memorial Metal Fest 2019, The Blue Ridge Rock Fest 2021, Full Terror Assault 2021, The So What? Fest 2021, The Central Florida Metal Fest 2022, Hell and Heaven 2022, Hell and Heaven 2023 (main stage), and The Colombia Tattoo Music fest 2024. Semper Acerbus has toured with or opened for Asesino, Fear Factory, Ill Niño, Soulfly, Infected Rain, Upon a Burning Body, Lyons at the Gate, The Dialectic, Powerman 5000, and Skinlab. Furthermore, Nelson Acerbus is the Stage Manager and Drum Tech for Christian metal giants, Stryper.
Altogether, the third album by Semper Acerbus, titled Following Omens, is an explosion of sonic heaviness that thematically covers the whole of the psychological super spectrum, oftentimes all the way to the fringes where the darkness is the deepest and despair is thick as fog on old cobblestone. Lyrically, the band explores all types of toxic relationships leading to destructive aftermaths that teach us the hard lessons, the ones that change us forever. The band entertains themes of isolation, addiction, vendettas, and death, religion and romance, omens and ghosts.
Sonically, the band redefines heavy metal, reanimating the idea of risk and reward, and symbolically, the band recreates the concept of hope. Semper Acerbus is perfect for those who want to rock out, and they are simultaneously important for those who need to engage in a search of the self. We dig them. We play them loud as all hell, and we’re one of them.
Following Omens was produced, mixed & mastered by Chris Mora (Upon a Burning Body, Kingdom Collapse) at Warhorse Recordings (San Antonio, TX). The album cover art was created by Federico Bossinga at Abstract Chaos Design (Dark Funeral, Dimmu Borgir, Oceano, Old Man’s Child).
More Info: https://www.eclipserecords.com/band/semper-acerbus/
