Speak with Dead is a self-produced heavy metal and synthwave album that expands upon the themes put forth in Polymorph. It posits that a transformation of the Self must inevitably be a part of a greater conversation. Speak with Dead, specifically, is about the inevitable conversations one may have with Death: about grief, about horror, about trauma and despair. But also: about joy, about love, about healing and hope. Through such deaths new life emerges.

It has been seven, nearly eight years since the release of Polymorph, and much has changed in that brief lifetime. The writing and production for Speak with Dead began the moment production on Polymorph ceased (and in some sense even before), though it would be years before those ideas would arrange themselves into their final form. Speak with Dead is slower, heavier, and darker than its predecessor. It is more methodical, more somber, and still more urgent. Iconic 80s synthesizers meet heavy metal drums and guitars, creating an unholy mixture of nostalgia and horror.

dot.darkness continues to welcome inspiration from and pay tribute to influential works of science fiction and fantasy not only in music, but also across film, books, anime, actual plays, and video games. We are forever indebted to the impact such works continue to have on our lives. A special thanks to Nate Jose for his masterful lead guitar work on "Exulansis."