Astral Cadaver is a one‑man atmospheric black metal project from Cuenca, Ecuador, founded in 2021 by multi‑instrumentalist Ronald Patiño Galarza, an artist already active in several Ecuadorian underground acts such as Ángel Caído, Franken, and Samedi. The project channels a distinctly morbid, cinematic, and doom‑laden vision, merging raw black metal aggression with eerie ambient passages and a strong narrative sense rooted in darkness, horror, doom, and tragedy.
Astral Cadaver was conceived as a solitary creative vessel, with Patiño performing all instruments and vocals. This total control gives the project a unified aesthetic: suffocating riffs, cavernous screams, and spectral atmospheres that evoke morgues, decaying bodies, and nocturnal dread. The music often shifts between oppressive, doom‑infused weight and ghostly melodic fragments, creating a sense of descent into a personal underworld.
The project’s thematic world is heavily inspired by death‑imagery, tragic narratives, and horror literature, reflected in titles such as A Corpse in the Cellar, The Smiling Corpse, and Las Hadas de la Morgue. These motifs are not mere aesthetics but form the backbone of the project’s emotional and conceptual identity.
Astral Cadaver has been remarkably prolific since its formation, releasing demos, singles, and preparing a full‑length album:
Las Hadas de la Morgue (Demo, 2022)
Early raw material establishing the project’s atmospheric and horror‑driven identity.
The Smiling Corpse (Demo, 2022)
A grim, claustrophobic work that blends lo‑fi black metal with funeral ambience.
What the Moon Brings (Single, 2022)
A track inspired by cosmic dread and nocturnal terror, showing a more melodic and narrative approach.
A Corpse in the Cellar (Single, 2022)
One of the project’s most recognized songs, also featured in videos and underground promotion channels.
Morningstar (Single, 2024)
A later single that expands the project’s sound with more dynamic structures and a stronger doom influence.
Astral Cadaver (Full‑length, 2025)
The debut album, released independently under the label Astral Music, features six tracks including Tomarás Mi Mano, Autopsia, The Black Door, and Ángel Para Un Final. The record deepens the project’s atmospheric and tragic vision, combining long-form compositions with cinematic horror elements. It premiered publicly in late 2025 and solidified Astral Cadaver as a notable presence in the Ecuadorian underground.
Astral Cadaver’s sound is defined by:
The project’s visual identity—album covers, titles, and promotional material—reinforces its macabre and tragic aesthetic, aligning with the sonic themes of decay and existential darkness.
Ronald Patiño Galarza – guitars, bass, vocals, drums (2021–present)
A prolific figure in the Cuenca metal scene, active in multiple projects and known for his ability to craft emotionally charged, horror‑infused black metal.
Astral Cadaver stands as one of Ecuador’s most distinctive atmospheric black metal projects, merging raw black metal foundations with a deeply cinematic and tragic sensibility. Through its steady stream of demos, singles, and its 2025 full‑length album, the project has carved out a unique space in the South American underground—one defined by solitude, horror, and an unrelenting descent into darkness.
| Demo | 2022 | |
| Demo | 2022 | |
| Single | 2022 | |
| Single | 2022 | |
| Single | 2024 | |
| Full-length | 2025 |