Alkaloid Break with Metal Tradition on Faithful Performance of New Single “Agnus Dei”
New live album Bach Out of Bounds is a meeting of the minds between the classic composer and the maestros of progressive death metal
Featuring current and former members of Obscura, Triptykon and Dark Fortress
They’ve already redefined the very composition of progressive death metal, but on their upcoming live album, Alkaloid conduct a one-of-a-kind experiment that only a true maestro can perform. Joined on stage by an award-winning ensemble, on Bach Out of Bounds, the supergroup bring the revered classical composer in conversation with the heaviest of underground arts.
Today, Alkaloid are releasing the second advanced single from Bach Out of Bounds. While honoring the otherworldly power of Bach’s original offering, the band’s performance of “Agnus Dei” breaks from metal’s traditions.
“This is the most faithful interpretation of Bach on our new live album”, vocalist, guitarist and primary composer Morean says. “It’s a serene, fragile sound world hitherto unexplored by Alkaloid”.
Watch Alkaloid perform “Agnus Dei” on the Season of Mist YouTube channel.
Bach Out of Bounds – Live in the Netherlands comes out January 23, 2026 on Season of Mist
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Across three studio albums, Alkaloid have experimented with worldly polyrhythms, brutally technical riffing, infectious choruses and sci-fi concepts built in honor of Lovecraftian entities. The band remain curious as ever on Bach Out Of Bounds, though even the brains behind their first-ever live album is shocked by its latest creation. “Agnus Dei” began life as a prayer back in the 5th century before Johann Sebastian Bach arranged it as the fourth movement of “Mass in B minor”, his final masterpiece.
“It’s quite the departure”, says Morean, who the Bachfestival in Dordrecht invited for this performance. “Bach Out of Bounds is very different from what other metal bands – or even Alkaloid – normally do”.
While it stems from a place of worship that’s far removed from metal’s underground crypts, Alkaloid’s performance of “Agnus Dei” is a stroke of divine inspiration. The guitars wisely bow to the quiet command of the string section, ceding the spotlight to soprano Rianne Wilbers. Blessed with grace and gravitas, her voice transcends to a higher realm that’s not of any genre nor this Earth.
“Like all of the guests who accompanied Alkaloid for Bach Out Of Bounds, Rianne is a true wanderer between worlds”, Morean says. “After a youth in metal, she acquired an impeccable pedigree in the Netherlands as a performer of traditional and contemporary classical music. She sings ‘Agnus Dei’ so beautifully. She really knows how to sing Bach”.
The video for “Agnus Dei” was compiled from footage filmed live during performances at the 2024 Bachfestival in Dordrecht, Netherlands, Paard van Troject in The Hague and November Music in Den Bosch. It was created by Thomas Niehof / Creative Headroom & Lindy Balduk Photography.
Photos by Sethpicturesmusic
Tracklist
1. Allegro (BWV 1052-I) (8:28)
2. Adagio – All Is Vanity (BWV 1052-II) (6:56)
3. Beneath the Sea (7:25)
4. Cthulhu (5:59)
5. Haunter of the Void (10:11) [WATCH]
6. A Fool’s Desire (8:54)
7. Agnus Dei (BWV 232) (6:24) [WATCH]
8. The Fungi from Yuggoth (7:47)
Country: Germany / The Netherlands
Genre: Progressive death metal
FFO: Trans-Siberian Orchestra, Symphony X, Dream Theater
Alkaloid know no bounds. Morean, Hannes Grossmann, Linus Klausenitzer and Christian Münzner had already defied the laws of the metalverse as members of Obscura, Triptykon and Dark Fortress, but since banding together as a supergroup in 2013, they have rearranged the very composition of progressive death metal. Their three studio albums fuse everything from worldly polyrhythms and sci-fi concepts to monstrous growls, brutally technical riffs and infectious choruses.
“German collective Alkaloid bucks the trend often associated with bands fitted with the ‘supergroup’ tag”, Angry Metal Guy wrote in praise of their last LP Numen. “Alkaloid established a unique sound from the onset, their cosmic, science fiction-infused technical and progressive death metal formula featuring a futuristic, otherworldly vibe and melodic, experimental flair”.
Despite their already impressive discography, during the summer of 2024, Alkaloid conducted a boundary-pushing performance that, once and for all, proved their alchemical mastery. With their new live album Bach Out of Bounds, the band build fascinating parallels between their unmatched compositions and revered composer Johann Sebastien Bach. Joined by an award-winning ensemble of vocalists, accordion and string players, the metal maestros prove that Bach’s music is as relevant today as it’s always been by projecting his Baroque style through a lens that’s radically different – and way heavier.
Bach Out of Bounds brings three of the composer’s classics in conversation with the underground arts. “I didn’t change any notes of Bach’s scores”, Morean says, “but I took maximum liberty in how I arranged them”. Sacred aria “Agnus Dei” is performed faithfully, graced by soprano Rianne Wilbers. Of course, as metal’s mad scientists, Alkaloid inject plenty of their own virtuoso. The band’s new guitarists Max Blok and Justin Hombach shred harmoniously with violinists Julija Hartig and Oene van Geel through the monumental “Allegro”. Marieke Hopman’s mourning accordion lights the way during the slow and sorrowful procession of “Adagio – All Is Vanity”.
“The original ‘Adagio’ is super quiet and very slow. It’s a piece with just a few notes. What I did is the opposite of that”, Morean says with a pleased grin. “Our version turns it into a heavy doom metal song”.
In a feat of reverse engineering, Bach Out of Bounds also transfuses the soul of Bach into Alkaloid’s own creations. “The idea behind this performance wasn’t necessarily for us to try and write a Bach song”, Morean explains. “We wanted to use Bach’s techniques to write an Alkaloid song”. The album includes extended renditions of recent fan favorites in “A Fool’s Desire” and “The Fungi from Yuggoth”, not to mention two brand new songs. As if summoned by a siren’s call, led by Chrysa Tsaltampasi’s dreamy lilt, “Beneath the Sea” reveals itself as a speaker-shaking precursor to the band’s monster hit “Cthulhu”, whereas “Haunter of the Void” goes where no metalhead has gone before. Commissioned by the Dutch Performing Arts Fund (FPK) and written especially for this performance, the 10-minute epic follows a severed, digitized brain that’s been shot into space from a long-dead Earth. Amidst a crushing cosmic void, this spec of hope clings to life, creating a new habitat one riff at a time.
“Cell by cell starts to unfurl / And I come into my own”, Morean growls as their fresh tale swirls into a headbanging symphony.
Alkaloid performed Bach Out of Bounds during three separate shows in the Netherlands – at the Bachfestival in Dordrecht, Paard van Troject in The Hague and on November Music in Den Bosch. The performances drew people from around the world along with interest from Dutch national radio and TV. Now, fans everywhere can experience this truly one-of-a-kind performance on limited-edition CD and vinyl.
“The audience who came and saw these performances went crazy for it”, Morean remembers. “I’m so happy that we can now share them with people everywhere. People aren’t going to know what hit them. Bach Out of Bounds is very different from what other metal bands – or even Alkaloid – normally do”.
With Bach Out of Bounds, Alkaloid deliver a classically innovative performance as only a true maestro can. Alkaloid is
Morean – Vocals, guitar
Hannes Grossmann – Drums
Linus Klausenitzer – Bass
Justin Hombach – Guitar
Max Blok – Guitar
Guest musicians
Rianne Wilbers – Soprano
Chrysa Tsaltampasi – Soprano
Julija Hartig – Violin
Oene van Geel – 5-string violin
Marieke Hopman – Accordion
Ketevan Roinishvili – Cello
Recording credits
Recorded live in the Netherlands at Bibelot / Dordrecht and Paard van Troje / The Hague
Front of house engineer: Laurens Voois
Production credits
Produced by Alkaloid
Mixed by Hannes Grossman at Mordor Sounds, Germany
Mastered by Victor Bullok at Woodshed Studio, Germany
Songwriting credits
Music for “Allegro”, “Adagio – All Is Vanity” and “Agnus Dei” written by Johann Sebastian Bach
Music for “Cthulhu” written by Morean and Hannes Grossman
Music for “Beneath the Sea” and “Haunter of the Void” written by Morean
Music for “A Fool’s Desire” written by Hannes Grossman
Music for “The Fungi from Yuggoth” written by Christian Münzner
Lyrics to “Adagio – All Is Vanity” based on “Es ist alles eitel” by Andreas Gryphius and adapted by Morean
Lyrics to “Agnus Dei” taken from John 1:29
Lyrics to “Beneath the Sea”, “Cthulhu”, “Haunter of the Void”, “A Fool’s Desire” and “The Fungi from Yuggoth” written by Morean
Available Formats
CD Digipack
2×12″ Vinyl Gatefold
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