Ukrainian blackened death/doom metal formation 1914 return with unrelenting force on their fourth studio album, Viribus Unitis, Latin for "With United Forces." Far more than a historical reference to the personal motto of Franz Joseph I of the Austro-Hungarian Empire, the title reflects the bandâ€™s resilience through war, loss, and upheaval â€“ a powerful symbol of survival and solidarity. Releasing on November 14, 2025 via Napalm Records, Viribus Unitis builds on the bandâ€™s acclaimed conceptual approach, pushing even deeper into emotional and musical intensity. Continuing their chronicle of World War I, 1914 shift their focus slightly, from the raw portrayal of death and destruction to themes of camaraderie, endurance, and the emotional landscapes of those who endured the horrors. While previous releases like The Blind Leading the Blind (2018) and Where Fear and Weapons Meet (2021) centered on the futility and finality of war, Viribus Unitis explores the human bonds forged under fire and the strength of those who returned: broken, changed, yet still alive. Musically, 1914 remain true to their identity â€“ brutal mixture of blackened death metal, slow-burning doom, and ambient war soundscapes. This time, however, their sound gains a broader dynamic range, with soaring melodic leads, orchestral textures, and haunting clean vocals that provide dramatic contrast to the crushing heaviness. One of the albumâ€™s highlights is a collaboration with Aaron Stainthorpe of My Dying Bride and High Parasite on â€œ1918 Pt. 3: ADE (A Duty to Escape),â€ whose mournful voice adds a solemn, almost liturgical quality to this elegy of grief and brotherhood on the front lines. Viribus Unitis deepens 1914â€™s commitment to historical authenticity, both lyrically and conceptually. Told through real events and personal accounts of a Ukrainian soldier in the K.u.K. army, the album traces a timeline from 1914 to 1919, painting a grim journey through the warâ€™s rise, climax, and hollow aftermath. From the brooding opener â€œWar Inâ€ to the bleak closer â€œWar Out (The End?)â€, each track captures a moment in time: the brutal â€œ1914 (The Siege of PrzemyÅ›l)â€, the frostbitten â€œ1915 (Zwinin Ridge)â€, the crushing Alpine combat of â€œ1916 (SÃ¼dtirol Offensive)â€, and the madness of â€œ1918 Pt. 2: POW (Prisoner of War)â€ featuring Christopher Scott of Precious Death. The album ends with â€œ1919 (The Home Where I Died),â€ featuring Romeâ€™s Jerome Reuter, a haunting portrait of a soldier who survived the war, but not its shadow. This emotional song deals with the soldier's will to live and his family values, seeing him escape from captivity to finally return home to embrace his wife and daughter. 1914 fuse blackened death metal, doom, and atmospheric textures with dramatic flourishes and guest vocals, creating their most dynamic and emotionally resonant record to date.

Tracklist:

War In (The Beginning of the Fall)
1914 (The Siege of PrzemyÅ›l)
1915 (Easter Battle for the Zwinin Ridge)
1916 (The SÃ¼dtirol Offensive)
1917 (The Isonzo Front)
1918 Pt 1: WIA (Wounded in Action)
1918 Pt 2: POW (Prisoner of War) (feat. Christopher Scott of Precious Death)
1918 Pt 3: ADE (A duty to escape) (feat. Aaron Aaron Stainthorpe of My Dying Bride)
1919 (The Home Where I Died) (feat. Jerome Reuter of Rome)
War Out (The End?)

UPC: 810185193813
Label: Napalm
Release Date: 11.14.25
Format: Vinyl Record

1914 - Viribus Unitis [LP]