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Difference between revisions of "Inferno"

(→‎Title and Themes)
(Removed unconfirmed trivia theories about number and track length significance. The theories and connections are too much of a stretch to be presented as trivia.)
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* "[[Prophecy At 1420 MHz]]" references the hydrogen line, a specific wavelength of radiation emitted by hydrogen as it undergoes a quantum transition. It has been used to investigate the properties of the universe, and search for extraterrestrial life.
 
* "[[Prophecy At 1420 MHz]]" references the hydrogen line, a specific wavelength of radiation emitted by hydrogen as it undergoes a quantum transition. It has been used to investigate the properties of the universe, and search for extraterrestrial life.
 
* "[[Hydrogen Helium Lithium Leviathan]]" refers to the first three elements of the periodic table and the mythical sea creature.
 
* "[[Hydrogen Helium Lithium Leviathan]]" refers to the first three elements of the periodic table and the mythical sea creature.
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* "[[Age Of Capricorn]]" refers to the tenth sign of the astrological zodiac, and is the astrological age that follows the Age of Aquarius
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* "[[Age Of Capricorn]]" refers to the tenth sign of the astrological zodiac, and is the astrological age that follows the Age of Aquarius.
 
* "[[I Saw Through Platonia]]" could refer to a concept by Julian Barbour of a realm called Platonia, which contains every possible configuration of the universe.
 
* "[[I Saw Through Platonia]]" could refer to a concept by Julian Barbour of a realm called Platonia, which contains every possible configuration of the universe.
  
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* ''Inferno'' has been assigned the catalog number WARP496. This seems to be a deliberate request from the band themselves, as preceding Warp releases such as Squarepusher's [https://warp.net/releases/576448-kammerkonzert/ Kammerkonzert] and Oneohtrix Point Never's [https://warp.net/releases/552598-tranquilizer/ Tranquilizer] have catalog numbers of 417 and 411, respectively.
 
* ''Inferno'' has been assigned the catalog number WARP496. This seems to be a deliberate request from the band themselves, as preceding Warp releases such as Squarepusher's [https://warp.net/releases/576448-kammerkonzert/ Kammerkonzert] and Oneohtrix Point Never's [https://warp.net/releases/552598-tranquilizer/ Tranquilizer] have catalog numbers of 417 and 411, respectively.
 
** 496 is a [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Perfect_number perfect number] and a [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hexagonal_number hexagonal number].
 
** 496 is a [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Perfect_number perfect number] and a [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hexagonal_number hexagonal number].
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** 496 is also the number of 32-bit integers with exactly two non-zero bits.
 
 
* The Continuous Mix version runs for exactly 70 minutes. This seems to be deliberate, as 70 has carried meaning in the band's past releases. For example:
 
* The Continuous Mix version runs for exactly 70 minutes. This seems to be deliberate, as 70 has carried meaning in the band's past releases. For example:
 
** [[Music70]] is the name of [[Mike Sandison|Mike]] and [[Marcus Eoin|Marcus]]'s own label.
 
** [[Music70]] is the name of [[Mike Sandison|Mike]] and [[Marcus Eoin|Marcus]]'s own label.
 
** [[Sixtyten]] from [[Music Has the Right to Children|MHTRTC]] reads out as 70.
 
** [[Sixtyten]] from [[Music Has the Right to Children|MHTRTC]] reads out as 70.
 
** [[The Smallest Weird Number]] from [[Geogaddi]] directly refers to 70, which is the smallest [[wikipedia:Weird number|weird number]]. Even though the track runs for 1:17, it cuts out at exactly 1:10, which is 70 seconds.
 
** [[The Smallest Weird Number]] from [[Geogaddi]] directly refers to 70, which is the smallest [[wikipedia:Weird number|weird number]]. Even though the track runs for 1:17, it cuts out at exactly 1:10, which is 70 seconds.
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* The album length of 18 tracks seems to be deliberate since 18 is the sum of 6+6+6, symbolizing 666, the number noted in The Book of Revelation and found at times in [[Boards of Canada]]'s works.
 
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* The total character count of all 18 track titles (including spaces) is 323, a palindromic number. Notably, multiplying its individual digits yields 3×2×3 = 18, which is exactly the number of tracks on the album.
 
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* The cover artwork features 7 hexagons arranged in a canonical hexagonal grid (one central, six surrounding), totalling 42 sides. Adding this to the total character count of the tracklist gives 323 + 42 = 365, the number of days in a solar year, consistent with the band's longstanding interest in cyclical and cosmological symbolism.
 
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* When spaces are excluded, the total character count of all track titles is 283, a prime number. Adding the 42 sides of the cover's hexagonal arrangement gives 283 + 42 = 325, which is the 13th hexagonal number (H(13) = 13 × 25 = 325). Inferno is the band's first album in 13 years, following Tomorrow's Harvest (2013).
 
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* "You Retreat In Time And Space" runs for exactly 325 seconds, the same number arrived at by combining the tracklist character count and the cover's hexagonal geometry.
 
  
 
== Release Notes ==
 
== Release Notes ==

Revision as of 12:59, 28 April 2026

Inferno
Inferno cover.jpg
Label(s) Warp Records
Catalogue No(s) WARP496
Release date(s) 29 May 2026
Format(s) Gatefold 2xLP
Deluxe 2xLP
CD
Digital
Running time(s) 69:51
70:00 (Continuous Mix)


Inferno is the upcoming fifth studio album by Boards of Canada, scheduled for release on 29 May 2026 via Warp Records. It is the long-anticipated follow-up to their 2013 album Tomorrow's Harvest - a gap of nearly thirteen years preceded its release, the band's longest to date between albums.


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 This page has a continuous work in progress status. Please revisit from time to time to see new content.


Tracks

  1. "Introit" – 0:36
  2. "Prophecy At 1420 MHz" – 5:04
  3. "Hydrogen Helium Lithium Leviathan" – 4:44
  4. "Age Of Capricorn" – 3:52
  5. "Father And Son" – 3:24
  6. "Somewhere Right Now In The Future" – 2:26
  7. "Naraka" – 5:01
  8. "Acts Of Magic" – 1:18
  9. "Memory Death" – 2:37
  10. "The Word Becomes Flesh" – 5:20
  11. "Into The Magic Land" – 4:35
  12. "Blood In The Labyrinth" – 4:55
  13. "Deep Time" – 3:18
  14. "All Reason Departs" – 6:14
  15. "Arena Americanada" – 5:22
  16. "The Process" – 3:01
  17. "You Retreat In Time And Space" – 5:25
  18. "I Saw Through Platonia" – 2:39

Leadup

Main article: Road to Inferno

Speculation for the album's release preceded its official announcement by over a decade, with the band and its associates sparsely giving out new information. Activity notably increased in 2025, including the band's Instagram account liking comments related to a new album, a Tomorrow's Harvest-era website coming online once again, and new merchandise being put on sale. For a more detailed look on the band's activities during this period, see the article Road to Inferno.

Promotional Campaign

Main article: 2026 Promo Campaign

In early April 2026, multiple fans received unmarked VHS tapes through the mail, with sender addresses related to Warp and their online storefront Bleep. About a week after, posters with imagery reminiscent of the band started appearing in multiple places around the UK and US. For an in-depth look at the days preceding the album's announcement, see the article 2026 Promo Campaign.

Title and Themes

As a word, Inferno references hell and places reminiscent of it. It is the most explicit reference to religion and the occult since their 2002 album Geogaddi and 2000 EP In a Beautiful Place out in the Country. The album's titles also heavily refer to concepts in cosmology and physics.

  • An "Introit" is a song or psalm that is sung or recited at the beginning of a Christian mass.
  • "Father And Son" could reference the Holy Trinity, which consists of the two and The Holy Spirit.
  • "The Word Becomes Flesh" is a quotation from verse 1:14 of the Gospel of John.
  • "Naraka" references the realm of hell seen in Indian religions, such as Hinduism and Buddhism.
  • "The Process" could refer to the Process Church of the Final Judgement, a new religious movement which briefly existed in the 1960s and 70s. The Process was the title of their magazine.
  • "Prophecy At 1420 MHz" references the hydrogen line, a specific wavelength of radiation emitted by hydrogen as it undergoes a quantum transition. It has been used to investigate the properties of the universe, and search for extraterrestrial life.
  • "Hydrogen Helium Lithium Leviathan" refers to the first three elements of the periodic table and the mythical sea creature.
  • "Age Of Capricorn" refers to the tenth sign of the astrological zodiac, and is the astrological age that follows the Age of Aquarius.
  • "I Saw Through Platonia" could refer to a concept by Julian Barbour of a realm called Platonia, which contains every possible configuration of the universe.

Trivia

  • Inferno has been assigned the catalog number WARP496. This seems to be a deliberate request from the band themselves, as preceding Warp releases such as Squarepusher's Kammerkonzert and Oneohtrix Point Never's Tranquilizer have catalog numbers of 417 and 411, respectively.
  • The Continuous Mix version runs for exactly 70 minutes. This seems to be deliberate, as 70 has carried meaning in the band's past releases. For example:

Release Notes

Quotes

See Also

External Links

Forums

Press

Shops

Various

References


Artwork

The listing below is generated dynamically, based on: Category: Inferno artwork.

Discography Overview | view ⬢ edit
Albums Music Has the Right to Children ⬢ Geogaddi ⬢ The Campfire Headphase ⬢ Tomorrow's Harvest ⬢ Inferno
EPs Twoism ⬢ Hi Scores ⬢ Aquarius ⬢ Peel Session ⬢ In a Beautiful Place out in the Country ⬢ Trans Canada Highway
Singles Reach For The Dead ⬢ Introit / Prophecy At 1420 MHz
Rare / Early Releases Catalog 3 ⬢ Acid Memories ⬢ Closes Vol. 1 ⬢ Play by Numbers ⬢ Hooper Bay ⬢ Boc Maxima ⬢ Old Tunes Vol. 1 ⬢ Old Tunes Vol. 2 ⬢ Random 35 Tracks Tape ⬢ Boc Remii Vol. 1
Mixtapes Marcus Eoin's Campfire Mixtape ⬢ Societas x Tape
Live Sets Live @ Warp10 ⬢ Live @ Lighthouse ⬢ Live @ ATP ⬢ All Gigs
Promotional Releases Telephasic Workshop ⬢ MHTRTC (promo cassette) ⬢ Orange Romeda ⬢ Geogaddi (promo lp) ⬢ Geogaddi (test pressing) ⬢ Geogaddi (promo cassette) ⬢ ------ / ------ / ------ / XXXXXX / ------ / ------ ⬢ Reach For The Dead (promo cd) ⬢ Come To Dust (promo cd)
Compilation Exclusives Korona ⬢ Orange Romeda ⬢ Seven Forty Seven
Produced by BoC for Others Here Come The Rubber Cops ⬢ Orangutang
Bootleg Releases Unreleased Tracks
Other Kaleidoscope ⬢ Promotional Events ⬢ Promotional Items ⬢ Merchandise ⬢ Web media
Lead-up RSD 2013 ARG ⬢ Road to Inferno ⬢ 2026 Promo Campaign
To Be Determined BoCset
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