Under Auburn Skies Release New EP 'Diminisher Of Hope,' Share 'The Pale King' Video

Denver metalcore band Under Auburn Skies dropped their new EP, Diminisher Of Hope, on July 17, continuing the darker, heavier direction they previewed with lead single 'The Pale King.' The six-track release lands ahead of a November 14 support slot for Fear Factory and Darkest Hour.

By Dime, Dropped Tuning desk · Edited by Cadence · 2026-07-18

Denver metalcore band Under Auburn Skies released their new EP, Diminisher Of Hope, on July 17, 2026, a six-track follow-up to 2021's Invention Of Reason. The self-released EP was tracked at The Blasting Room and Rusty Sun Studios, mixed by Chris Wiseman, and leads with the single "The Pale King." The band opens for Fear Factory and Darkest Hour in Denver on November 14.

Under Auburn Skies release Diminisher Of Hope

Denver metalcore band Under Auburn Skies released their new EP, Diminisher Of Hope, on July 17, 2026, a six-track follow-up to 2021's Invention Of Reason EP and their 2018 debut full-length, Afterimage (The Horror Times). The band self-released the EP digitally and on CD alongside a new video for lead single "The Pale King."

EP: Diminisher Of Hope
Label: Self-released
Release date: July 17, 2026
Tracks: 6
Lead single: "The Pale King," directed by Luke Ostermiller
Announced: May 2026

Guitarist Oscar Morales described the shoot for "The Pale King" video: "The video was a blast to film! We drove up north from Denver to a mostly abandoned cemetery that has graves from the 1700s and 1800s, so it was cool to see a huge jump in time from a lot of the tombstones we walked through. We also filmed this during the beginning of Fall last year for a fitting scenery that is a bit fitting with the theme of the song" (Distorted Sound Magazine).

Who is Under Auburn Skies

Under Auburn Skies is a Denver, Colorado metalcore quintet: vocalist Sebastian Gorklo, guitarists Oscar Morales and Zach Morgan, bassist Jose Morales, and drummer Martin Pasillas (Resident Rock Star). Their own promotional materials draw the comparison to "the raw power of Polaris and the untamed intensity of Make Them Suffer," and the band's Bandcamp page points fans of Invent Animate, Currents, and Hollow Front toward the group as well (Bandcamp).

The band has spent the past several years building a live reputation on the Denver circuit, opening for Born Of Osiris, Norma Jean, Darkest Hour, Entheos, Mouth For War, Carnifex, Enterprise Earth, and Fallujah, among others (The Horror Times).

Diminisher Of Hope was tracked across multiple rooms: drums by Nick Nodurft at Rusty Sun Studios, guitars and bass by Emilio Lujan, and vocals and additional guitars by Jaxon Stunden at The Blasting Room. Chris Wiseman mixed and mastered the record at Chris Wiseman Recordings, and Róbert Horváth of Holo Dreamz Designs handled the cover art (Resident Rock Star).

The CYS angle: metalcore's drop-tuned reality

Neither Under Auburn Skies nor any outlet covering Diminisher Of Hope has published a specific guitar brand, string gauge, or tuning for guitarists Oscar Morales or Zach Morgan, so treat any exact-match claim as unconfirmed rather than take our word, or anyone else's, for it. What is genre fact, not band-specific fact: melodic metalcore in the lane Under Auburn Skies' own promo cites, alongside Polaris and Make Them Suffer, runs overwhelmingly on drop-tuned six- and seven-string guitars, most commonly Drop C or Drop B, because the palm-muted breakdowns that define the style need slack low strings to chug cleanly without going limp.

If you're chasing that tone yourself rather than trying to match Under Auburn Skies specifically, CYS's own Ernie Ball Not Even Slinky Cobalt, .012 to .056, is built for Drop C and Drop B alike, and our best guitar strings for metal comparison covers more picks across tunings and budgets.

Is Under Auburn Skies playing shows?

Yes. The band has Denver-area dates booked while it plans a proper release show and tour, including a November 14, 2026 support slot billed as "w/ Fear Factory, Darkest Hour" (The Horror Times). That date matches, by city and headliners, a stop on Fear Factory's already-announced, 13-date "Cybernetic Domination" tour, which lists Darkest Hour and Brotality as its full national support bill and names the Denver stop as the Oriental Theater on November 14 (Blabbermouth.net). Under Auburn Skies isn't named on that national routing, so their billing reads as a local support add for the Denver stop specifically, not a slot on the full 13-date run.

The tuning behind melodic metalcore's low endDrop C tuning guide The heavier option, one half-step downDrop B tuning guide A Cobalt set built for Drop C and Drop BErnie Ball Not Even Slinky Cobalt review Seven picks across tunings and budgetsBest guitar strings for metal, compared Another niche-scene album announcement CYS coveredTo The Grave announce Liberation Front

Frequently asked questions

What did Under Auburn Skies release?

Diminisher Of Hope, a six-track EP, out digitally and on CD on July 17, 2026, via self-release. It follows the band's 2021 EP Invention Of Reason and their 2018 debut full-length, Afterimage.

Who is Under Auburn Skies?

A Denver, Colorado metalcore quintet: vocalist Sebastian Gorklo, guitarists Oscar Morales and Zach Morgan, bassist Jose Morales, and drummer Martin Pasillas. The band's own promotional materials compare their sound to Polaris and Make Them Suffer, and their Bandcamp page points fans of Invent Animate, Currents, and Hollow Front toward the group as well.

What is 'The Pale King' about?

It's the lead single and video from Diminisher Of Hope, directed by Luke Ostermiller of Loste Films. Guitarist Oscar Morales says the band filmed it in a mostly abandoned Colorado cemetery with graves dating to the 1700s and 1800s, chosen to match the song's themes.

What guitars, tuning, or strings does Under Auburn Skies use?

Not independently documented as of this run. Neither the band nor the outlets covering Diminisher Of Hope named a guitar brand, string gauge, or tuning for guitarists Oscar Morales or Zach Morgan. Genre convention is the honest answer: melodic metalcore in this lane commonly runs Drop C or Drop B on six- or seven-string guitars.

Is Under Auburn Skies playing any shows?

Yes. The band has Denver-area dates booked while it plans a full release show and tour, including a November 14, 2026 support slot billed as playing with Fear Factory and Darkest Hour, matching the Denver stop (Oriental Theater) on Fear Factory's already-announced 13-date Cybernetic Domination tour. Under Auburn Skies isn't on that tour's official national routing, so it reads as a local support add for that one date.

Who recorded and produced Diminisher Of Hope?

Drums were tracked by Nick Nodurft at Rusty Sun Studios, guitars and bass by Emilio Lujan, and vocals and additional guitars by Jaxon Stunden at The Blasting Room. Chris Wiseman mixed and mastered the record at Chris Wiseman Recordings, and Róbert Horváth of Holo Dreamz Designs created the artwork.

Is Under Auburn Skies a good entry point into metalcore?

For listeners who want melody alongside the heaviness, yes. The band's own comparisons, Polaris and Make Them Suffer on the harder end, Invent Animate and Currents on the more melodic end, put them in a lane built around soaring choruses as much as breakdowns, which reads as more approachable than straight deathcore.