Acclaimed composer and instrumentalist SOLUNE returns with “Ictus,” the third single from “MINUTIAE.,” her highly anticipated debut album with Mad Vantage. The track marks the heaviest and most formidable statement of SOLUNE’s career — a work that confronts the oppressive weight of a deeply religious upbringing and transforms it into catharsis. Built on shifting odd-time meters, the crushing darkness of an 8-string guitar, and the unsettling dissonance of Byzantine and diminished scales, Ictus stands as Mad Vantage’s statement of intent: fearless, intense, and deeply personal.
Stream “Ictus” via the Spotify player below:
Purchase and Stream “Ictus” here: https://art-as.org/ictus
Opening with a bell toll recorded in 2023 at the church in SOLUNE’s nonno’s village of San Valentino, Italy, the track unfolds like a ritual — its soundscape ominous and apocalyptic. Drawing inspiration from the cinematic atmosphere of the Halo series, “Ictus” disorients and dominates, balancing meticulous technicality with emotional gravity. What begins as chaos transforms into clarity – a visceral journey through darkness that ultimately develops into empowerment.
It’s a highlight of Mad Vantage’s highly anticipated debut album “MINUTIAE.” — a bold fusion of Progressive Metal, nu-Jazz, and Electronic textures that positions SOLUNE as a formidable new voice in Heavy, Progressive Music. Fusing the rhythmic precision of Jazz with the weight of distortion, double-kick pedals, and synthesizers, the record thrives on real-time interplay and human pulse.
“After numerous collaborative releases and a plethora of recorded work as a side person over the last 10 years, MINUTIAE. is the very first record I am putting out as a solo artist,” says SOLUNE. “I wanted to make a big statement when I finally launched my solo career – and this album exemplifies that. I’m here to make noise, and I hope that people will listen.”
Exploring themes of erosion and strength — both internal and external — “MINUTIAE.” reflects on personal and societal change in the age of digital transformation. It’s music of catharsis, self-definition, and defiant vulnerability.
With comparisons drawn to Animals As Leaders, Plini, Hiromi, and Tigran Hamasyan, SOLUNE’s voice remains unmistakably her own: razor-sharp, groove-forward, and emotionally charged. Having already earned accolades including the APRA Professional Development Award (2025), MIJF Take Note Leader (2025), and MWIJF Recording Prize (2021), Mad Vantage continues to carve out new territory in Australia’s vibrant intersection of Jazz and Heavy Music.
Mad Vantage’s new single “Ictus” is out now. The group’s debut album “MINUTIAE.” drops 7 November 2025 on Art As Catharsis.
Pre-order “MINUTIAE.” on Bandcamp: https://madvantage.bandcamp.com/album/minutiae
Tracklist:
01. Matriarch
02. Perpetual Cave
03. Terranea
04. Ictus
05. Pervade Your Mind
06. Cataclysm Pt 1
07. Cataclysm Pt 2
08. Cataclysm Pt 3