Montreal Blackened Thrash Shroud Lifts The Veil To Debut Album "Pax Nocturna"

Rising from the shadows of Quebec's extreme‐metal underground, SHROUD proudly announce the official release of their debut full‐length album, "Pax Nocturna," available everywhere on June 4th, 2026. A blistering fusion of Blackened Thrash with elements of Death and Melodic metal, the album marks a defining first chapter for one of Montreal’s most intense and uncompromising new acts.

SHROUD began when guitarist/vocalist Matteo Conti approached drummer Zack Osiris (Warsenal) during the height of the COVID‐19 lockdowns. With their previous projects stalled and the music scene frozen, the pair began writing together in Montreal at a time when even leaving the house felt taboo. Despite the restrictions, the creative spark was undeniable. Week after week, riffs and ideas evolved into the earliest form of what would become "Pax Nocturna."

As the world reopened in 2022, the band solidified with Justin Cournoyer joining on bass, and Jordan Barillaro recruited after filling in for their first show in November 2022. The chemistry was immediate. SHROUD was born, united, focused, and driven.

SHROUD’s sonic identity is rooted in Black and Thrash metal, sharpened by the aggression of Death metal and the atmosphere of Melodic metal. The band describes the album as a rollercoaster, fast, punishing, dynamic, and immersive, yet always unmistakably SHROUD.

Fans of extreme metal will find a record crafted for them. It's intense, tightly executed, and overflowing with raw energy. Its lyrical depth explores philosophy, anti‐religion, the abyss and the darkest corners of human existence. The overarching concept is Satanic Gnosticism, a rejection of imposed order and corrupt leadership, and an embrace of the chaos from which humanity originates.

“It’s the acknowledgement that we are our own gods and masters. It is peace within the night. It is Pax Nocturna,” adds vocalist/guitarist Matteo Conti.

The cover art draws from the dark fantasy of Yoshitaka Amano, the surreal horror of Zdzisław Beksiński, and the mythic grandeur of The Lord of the Rings. The imagery depicts the four band members in ritualistic worship of Murmur, the Archduke and Lord of Hell, symbolising philosophy, music, and the pursuit of higher consciousness.

On stage, SHROUD deliver a level of intensity, tightness, and emotional ferocity that sets them apart. Their performances blend hate, love, determination, and pure sonic violence, a presence that has already earned them slots alongside Exciter, Midnight, Wraith, Goatwhore, Vitriol, Necrofier, Wormwitch, Spiter, Gudsforladt, Tomarumvoid, Angelus Apatrida, Sorguinazia, and more.

Recommended for fans of Watain, Dissection, Hellripper, Skeletonwitch, and Necrophobic, "Pax Nocturna", out June 4th, 2026, is available on all digital platforms and CD and Vinyl.

• CD / Vinyl - https://shroudmtl.bandcamp.com/album/pax-nocturna
• Add to your Spotify playlist - https://open.spotify.com/album/5dfAWpVKaWlsdSBYNZ8L1H
• All Creation - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=m4okttHfnlg
• The Eternal Void - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JJ56_laldDc

Track Listing:

1. Pax Nocturna (0:43)

2. The Eternal Void (5:09)

3. The Zealot (5:15)

4. Merciless Tyrants (5:59)

5. Darkest Night (4:45)

6. Diablivion (5:28)

7. Death Blows Over (4:18)

8. All Creation (5:29)

9. Abaddon (7:55)