Orath from Raya by Pothamus

As the opening chapter of our bebut album, ‘Orath’ represents the genesis of the Earth, portraying the primary creation within Pothamus’ own mythology. Rather than a cosmogonic myth in which the earth is created ‘ex nihilo’, the coming-into-being of earthly matter is expressed as a process of transformation: a continual development of what already exists.

On a more fundamental level, we contemplate with ‘Orath’ the trajectory of nature as cyclical and eternal, rather than linear. As nature dies when winter emerges, it carries the seeds of spring in its demise. New life feeds on death in a cycle that repeats itself eternally, without beginning or end, necessitating the destruction of that which came before. We recognized this repetitive reoccurrence of life and light in the Great Fire-ritual of Bouge (Namur), where the videoclip for ‘Orath’ was filmed.

In primitive religions, fire - emblem of the sun - was believed to exert a profound influence on weather and vegetation. The Great Fire-ritual of Bouge thus animates ‘Orath’ with personal impressions of Belgian folklore. Lit mid February, the fire announces the reappearance of spring, and is said to be a tradition in the region for over 1.000 years. It marks a moving moment when nature will wake up from its winter slumber. In the spirit of folklore superstition, embers and ashes from the Great Fire were sold at auctions and bought by farmers. Spread in the fields, it was said they would provide good harvests.

Mixing music and metaphysics, sludge/post-metal band Pothamus takes you on an enchanting trip. Based in Mechelen, Belgium, this three-piece ensemble has been captivating audiences with their unique blend of repetitive riffage, floating drones, tribalesque percussion, and abrasive bass lines. Blending eastern philosophy and western esotericism, the band strives towards collective catharsis.

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