“Genius is an African who dreams up snow.” — Vladimir Nabokov

American musician, painter, director, and graphic designer Chino Amobi returns with his second full-length album, Eroica II: Christian Nihilism, out October 31. Amobi’s acclaimed 2017 debut, Paradiso, immersed listeners in the sweltering, volatile soundscapes of the global South—clashing rhythms, dense noise, and militant textures that evoked postcolonial heat, displacement, and resistance. With Eroica II, he shifts into colder terrain, embracing a more minimal and introspective sonic palette shaped by folky drones, glacial ambient, spectral trap, and the hushed echoes of sacred music traditions. If Paradiso was a burning world in flux, Eroica II is its haunted aftermath—a descent into memory, exile, and transcendence. Less about confrontation, more about reckoning, it explores silence, voids, and spiritual upheaval with stark, contemplative force.

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"In a world teetering on the brink of despair, where the echoes of nihilism seem to drown out every glimmer of hope, comes an album that dares to confront the void. This musical journey is a profound meditation on the very essence of Christianity in the face of such overwhelming darkness. It is an honest and vulnerable exploration of my own path as a Christian, grappling with the disquieting shadows that lurk within sacred texts, alongside the radiant, enduring light.

From the depths of "ex nihilo" – out of nothing – emerges a narrative of spiritual development, charting a course from the quiet introspection of Virginia to the vast expanse of Texas, and beyond. This is not merely a geographical passage, but an internal odyssey, a testament to the ongoing process of individuation. Drawing inspiration from the profound insights of Russian authors, the evocative power of their musicians, and the stark beauty of their cinema, interwoven with the rich tapestry of Orthodoxy, this album delves into the uncomfortable truths and transcendent beauty of faith when all hope feels lost. It is a testament to finding spiritual grounding and growth even when confronted with the most challenging questions of existence. Christian Nihilism is the idea that while joy and contentment in God might be ideal, they might never be experienced on this side of eternity. It is embracing the chaos while trusting that God will make all things work together for our good, even if the good isn’t always seen."
— Chino Amobi

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Born in Tuscaloosa, Alabama to Nigerian parents and raised in Virginia, Chino Amobi began making art and music at an early age, informed by frequent trips to Nigeria to visit family. He first experimented with rap alongside his brother (now known as Chichi The Eternal), before emerging in the early 2010s under the alias Diamond Black Hearted Boy - releasing raw, conceptual internet music rooted in futurism and emotional dissonance. His influences range from Nas, Radiohead, and video game music to painters like Hieronymus Bosch. Amobi graduated cum laude with a BFA from Virginia Commonwealth University in 2009, and in 2015 he co-founded influential label and art collective NON Worldwide alongside Angel-Ho and Nkisi. Dedicated to artists of the African diaspora, NON quickly gained international recognition for its politically radical ethos and sound-shattering aesthetic. In 2016, the label released Amobi’s 'Airport Music for Black Folk', and later that year, Red Bull Music Academy presented a NON showcase at New York’s New Museum.

Amobi’s work has extended into fashion and film, including a commissioned score for a Kenzo short film and a 2018 visual accompaniment to ‘Paradiso', directed by Rick Farin of Actual Objects. In addition to his music and design practice, Amobi is an accomplished visual artist, with his paintings represented by Meredith Rosen Gallery (New York), Robby Fitzpatrick Gallery (Paris), and Von Ammon Co. (Washington, D.C.) In 2023, he released two new musical works: the blistering, politically charged 'French Extremism' EP and the haunting single ‘Labyrinth’ - expanding his sonic vocabulary while setting the stage for this next chapter.

A work of spiritual upheaval, haunted minimalism, and transcendent intent, 'Eroica II: Christian Nihilism’ marks a pivotal moment in Amobi’s evolving, multidisciplinary practice.

released October 31, 2025

Written, performed, and produced by Chino Amobi

Produced by Brodinski on tracks “The Eroica Mystery School,” “777,” “Gallerina,” “Close Enemies” (Bonus Digital), “You Want It Darker” (Bonus Digital)
Featuring The Eternal on track “Glory to the Highest”
Mastered by Rashad Becker at Clunk Studio, Berlin
Artwork photography by Tim Saccenti, licensed for use © 2025. All rights reserved.
Photography in collaboration with Dina Chang for Setta Studio
Design by Giovanni Murolo

DBL40LP