Romanian black metal act Akral Necrosis brings a piece of Absu‘s dark history to the surface with their newly released cover. The release, a deep dive into Absu’s mythological soundscape, reflects Akral Necrosis’ commitment to preserving the raw essence of black metal while honoring one of its most unique contributors. This cover not only celebrates their shared history with the legendary band but also adds a powerful layer of anticipation for Absu’s upcoming performance at Rift of Hades 2025.

The cover artwork for “The Gold Torques of Ulàid (Absu Cover)”
© Akral Necrosis
Bucharest-based black metal band Akral Necrosis has dropped their rendition of Absu’s “The Gold Torques of Ulàid“.
The track, recorded in 2021 for an international tribute compilation to Absu, is now available on all major streaming platforms, coinciding with Rift of Hades at Quantic Club on February 22, 2025. The event, organized by Romanian Thrash Metal Club, will feature Absu performing a special anniversary set for their iconic album, “The Sun of Tiphareth“.
The Perfect Timing for a Forgotten Gem
With Absu returning to Bucharest for their performance at Rift of Hades, Akral Necrosis seized the opportunity to honor the legendary band by releasing their long-awaited cover.
“From a musical perspective, black metal has never known real limits, as the most important bands have never sounded similar. This is easily observed in both the first and second waves. Absu belongs to the pantheon of the latter, carving their own path through their unique style and mythology.
On March 2, 2013, we had the honor of sharing the stage with them at Fabrica. Now, the band returns to Bucharest on February 22 to perform at the Rift of Hades festival. We decided to finally release this cover, which has been unreleased for several years.
We chose an older and rarer track—a deep cut. Our version stays close to the original and features organic production to avoid any modern touches that wouldn’t fit. This is our way of saluting all incarnations of Absu, past, present, and future”, explained Octav Necrosis.

Octav Necrosis on stage
© Mihail Kostadinov
Akral Necrosis Looks Ahead
The band is also hard at work on their fourth studio album while preparing for an upcoming concert in Timișoara on February 8, 2025 with Ruyned. Amid these activities, they’re searching for a new drummer following Filip Filipov’s decision to return to Bulgaria.

Akral Necrosis and Ruyned to rip through Timișoara
© The bands’ official archive
Lineup
Octav Necrosis – Vocals;
SoYos – Bass;
Victor – Guitars;
Damian – Guitars;
Philip – Drums.
Find Akral Necrosis!
Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCxTdXI3dj08bvthsdU-4jlw;
Bandcamp: https://akralnecrosis.bandcamp.com/music;
Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/artist/4v5TcufOaBhnOXN00PZSnk;
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/akralnecrosis;
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/akralnecrosis.